




{Bsalifcji 

fc4«;'vt ••fr» 

||k<.'4r ••• • <■:' 




:-ssjn»i<M 


, ^ Mi*< «• j; I 


rj*.*.! tuir'tft't 














* • . 

1 


1 k. 

■ 

• • • • 

,-F* •< 











































\ 



rfa T Z 1 
Bonk- . N 5 fc 


(k?pghtN?- 


cUlr 


CDPnUGHT DEPOSm 


I 


1 

• .f' 


^ V 

ITS, . 

'■ 


'■ * f 


\ 


M- 


, .. 



1 


. 






\ 

> 



V 


\ 


/ 





% 




\ 


I 






i 

.t 

f 

f> ’ 


I 

« 



I* 





I 




t 










“HE HELD THE STRIPS OF MEAT OVER THE LIVE COALS” 













A.B, THE CAVE MAN 


A STORY OF THE 
TIME OF THE STONE AGE ' 

ADAPTED FOR 

YOUNG READERS FROM THE STORY OF AB 


BY 

WILLIAM LEWIS NIDA 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS — RIVER FOREST, ILL. 


Illustrated by 
FRED STEARNS 


A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 

CHICAGO 



COPYRIGHT 1911, 1918, BY W. 





AUG 19 1918 



0 



. NIDA 



PREFACE 


For nearly a dozen years it has been my pleasure 
to observe the intense interest shown by second 
grade pupils as they listened to the “Story of Ab” 
from the lips of their teachers. No other book 
available has held our children so completely in its 
spell. Teachers in other schools reporting the 
same lively enthusiasm for the story among their 
pupils, it seemed an injustice to childhood not to 
make an effort to put “Ab” within the reach of 
every child. 

By special arrangements with Messrs. Double- 
day, Page & Co. and Mr. Waterloo, the author of 
“Ab”, the work is now ready for the little folks. 
I have followed Mr. Waterloo’s book closely save 
two chapters which are my own. 

My gratitude is due Miss Mabel Pumphrey and 
Miss Florence Gardiner of Oak Park, who were 
kind enough to read much of the manuscript, to 


test the pages in their schools and to offer valuable 
suggestions. I am especially indebted to Miss 
Emma Schulz of the River Forest schools, who 
read critically the entire manuscript, and whose 
wide experience with children and excellent judg- 
ment were especially helpful. 

WILLIAM LEWIS NIDA. 


River Forest, Illinois, 


CONTENTS 


chapter 

1 . 

II. 

III. 

IV. 

V. 
VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 
XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 

XIX. 

XX. 

XXI. 

XXII. 

XXIII. 

XXIV. 

XXV. 

XXVI. 

XXVII. 


The Babe in the Woods 

Red-Spot Saves Her Babe,. . ’. . . 

One-Ear and the Hyena 

In the Cave Home 

Ab and His New Playmate .. 

Ab and Oak Plan a Great Hunt . 

The Cave Boys at Work 

The Monster Sea-Serpent . . . . 

A Baby Rhinoceros Trapped . . . . 

Sabre-Tooth and the Rhinoceros . 

Taming the Wolf Cubs 

Old Mok 

Ab^'s New Method of Cooking . . . 

Ab and His Big Kettle . . . . . 

Ab Makes a New Weapon . . . . 

The Great Secret 

The Mammoth Hunt 

The Great Feast 

The New Cave Home 

Ab and Lightfoot and the Cave Bears 
Ab and Lightfoot Saved by Fire . 

The Fire Country 

Ab’s New Home 

Sabre-Tooth Among the Shell People 
Sabre-Tooth Slain ....... 

The Cave Men Choose a Chief . . . 

Ab and Boarface in Battle . . . . 


PAGE 

, 5 
, 10 
, 15 
, 20 
, 24 
, 30 
, 36 
, 42 
, 49 
. 56 
. 65 
, 72 
78 

. 82 
. 87 
. 94 
. 100 
. 107 
. Ill 
. 115 
. 123 
, 132 
. 140 
. 146 
. 151 
. 157 
. 162 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

♦ 

*‘He held the strips of meat over the live coals” . . . Frontispiece 

FACING 

PAGE 

‘‘He leaped upward with a fierce growl, but Red-Spot only laughed” 12 

“Oak shouted to Ab to cheer him on” 40 

“It drifted away tozvard the sea” 50 

Ab playing with the wolf cubs 68 

“Sometimes Ab made the long spear shafts” 76 

“Ab raked out the hot stones and dropped them into the kettle” . 84 

“The arrow whistled through the aiF* 98 

“With a terrible roar he turned on the men” 106 

“Ab tossed her a bit of juicy meat” 110 

“With a cry she threw herself dowtiward” 120 

“He leaped high through the flames” 136 

“The heavy-weighted spear fell like lightning and pinned Sabre- 
Tooth to the ground” 154 


AB, THE CAVE MAN 


CHAPTER I 

THE BABE IN THE WOODS 

In the midst of a deep, dark forest lay 
a little brown babe. 

His bed was a pile of drifted beech 
leaves. 

He rolled about among the leaves and 
kicked up his short legs with glee. 

He was all alone in the forest, but he 
was happy. 

With his strong little hands, he was 
breaking the twigs about him with delight, 
for they were the only playthings he had. 

Laughing and cooing he kicked about in 
5 


the beech leaves and looked up at the blue 
sky. 

Aqueer looking little fellow was this babe. 

He was as brown as an autumn nut, 
sturdy and rugged. 

The hair on his head was very long. 

Even his little arms and legs were cov- 
ered with down. 

He needed no other clothing to keep him 
warm. 

This baby’s name was Ab. 

After awhile Ab became tired of break- 
ing twigs. 

So he curled up among the beech leaves 
and went to sleep. 

He slept peacefully for a time; then, 
suddenly, he awoke and began to cry. 

Ab’s mother heard his cry and came run- 
ning from the river bank toward him. 

Was he hungry, or was he frightened 
by the howling of hungry wolves? 

6 


She knew^that many dangerous animals 
roamed about the forest searching for 
food. 

She feared it might be a great cave 
tiger, a cave bear or a hyena. 

She knew that some animals howl and 
snarl when they scent food. 

Were their keen-scented noses searching 
for little Ab? 

“I hope I can reach him first,” said she, 
and she ran as fast as she could. 

“Oh, if I can only get him to the cave!” 

Ab’s parents lived in a cave. 

Everybody then lived in caves. 

We call the people of those days cave 
men. 

They had tools and weapons made only 
of stone, or the bones of animals. 

They had a hard time making weapons 
of stone, that would keep off dangerous 
animals. 


7 


Long before Ab was born, the people 
lived in trees to keep the big beasts from 
eating them. 

Ab’s great forefather, Strong-Arm, was 
a tree-dweller, but he learned how to use 
fire. 

How glad he was when he found that all 
the wild beasts were afraid of fire! 

After that he could fight them and drive 
them away with it. 

One day Strong-Arm found a fine cave 
in which a big cave bear lived,/ but the 
bear was not at home. 

He said, “This is a warmer home than 
the treetops. Fll block up the door and 
build a fire and keep the bears away. ” 

And so he did. 

Other tree-dwellers saw his snug cave 
home. 

They wanted one, too. 

So they drove the animals out with fire, 
8 


and soon nearly all the tree-dwellers were 
living in caves. 

But still there were a few who liked the 
treetops better. 

Some said they liked better to sleep under 
the stars. 

Others wanted always to be awake tc 
welcome the sun-god each morning. 

But after a time there came a very, very 
cold winter; and every tree-dweller was 
glad to give up his home in the oak for a 
snug, warm cave. 


9 


CHAPTER II 

RED-SPOT SAVES HER BABE 

The name of Ab’s mother was Red-Spot. 

Her only clothing was a dress made of 
wolverine skins neatly sewed together with 
sinew. 

It hung from her left shoulder by a 
strip of skin and reached from the waist 
almost to the knees. 

It was drawn loosely about the waist and 
tied with a bow knot. 

Red-Spot’s hair was very long and hung 
down between her brown shoulders. 

It had never been combed, but it was 
thrown back from her face. 

It was knotted and tangled to keep it 
away from her sharp eyes. 

10 


Red-Spot wore neither hat nor shoes, for 
the cave people would not be troubled with 
such things. 

This brown woman had beautiful feet. 

She could pick up objects with her toes 
almost as well as we can with our fingers. 

As Red-Spot came running swiftly to- 
ward her babe, he yelled louder than ever. 

She leaped lightly over streams and 
huge tree-trunks, for she was a strong and 
active woman. 

She made a dive into the little hollow 
and picked the babe from its nest of leaves. 

She tossed him up lightly, and he stopped 
crying. 

While Red-Spot was holding Ab in her^- 
arms, she heard a sound, which made her 
leap quickly upon a little bank near by. 

Here she looked sharply about and lis- 
tened. 

Then you should have seen her! 

11 


Just above her head swung down one of 
the branches of a great beech tree. 

The mother threw Ab into the hollow of 
her left arm. 

Then she leaped upward and caught the 
branch with her right hand. * 

So she hung dangling. 

Then she quickly seized Ab by one arm 
with her left hand and lowered him between 
her legs and clasped them about him closely. 

Ah! if you could have /seen her climb 
that tree! 

With both her strong arms free, Red- 
Spot climbed up the stout beech limb hand 
over hand. 

Soon she was twenty feet above the 
ground. 

There she sat down on a branch with 
one arm around a big limb. 

The other arm held the brown babe close 
to her breast. 


12 



‘‘HE LEAPED UPWARD WITH A FIERCE GROWL, BUT 
RED-SPOT ONLY LAUGHED” 



''■‘O' 


. f • 


k %. • 

f 


~ A‘A*i^ySiC ‘ '■ , 1 . -*• "^ • 

.“S' mr^. \ " -'.v • ’ i .>•' . . 

■'ii ’^L-''-’ ■ 


^ ''^.■■{ i ••' w.:, ' ■'■ 

,y ’ - • ' • 


J 


• V 

v% 


« VN 

• • 4.y ' . Vx 4*^7 

,. ^*. • » ' ^1- j - . , 

■ 



*' ■ 


•/ ^• 



' r » 


\ * 






. • I 


V • I 


fe.:-: - ' 


* C >. 7 :: 
• 'l-V- 



-ri 




• •.W.-;V.'‘- , 

..'W ■ ■• 

'■' .■‘-•.•■■v, ."b^S 
,, 1, ■ - ' ■• , 


W'fe7': 





\i'? ’lA: ^- 


^ • ^J 




»»* 


*i»> 

>» 


* 1 


•A' 



V-rf'- tv 

L». t ^ * „ . , 


rvf'4 . u- 

K‘. ‘iS * ^ ■ -''... 

r^'*- • • 

,• r^y *• .. ■ 




'W-: ' T 7 /'iti 



■ -V'* ■'''*' 


.>'• 


'■> «* k ■ > ■ t 

V ■'%}»• 


5*" ' T' T-* *■ ‘ KH 

i.-- . r.:*'‘ ‘*r,^V SfcW- . * 




' 2fV:V' £■: 


■' fc^■= '''lMi.:Si. 


i> < 


'•V, , V-t 





A 


*••• 


* 

' i. 


A 


v'*; 

• , 


V i 


I ^1 


• *• 


‘4 -w^ 


• • 




‘<^v 


Or» ^ 




■ -^ 


..t 




X , I .*) -r.cx, 


*? 

T 




I 


w < 




;'Vj, 




I « 


jjL 



'‘i". 


I * - 

• < • 
V * 


V 




» r 




>N1BBE®4}ki^-sr^ . tv,* .va‘; -t 








v» 


■<'.r ■ •■>.•’■ 

- ■'’V' *' ' ' V' Bl ,ip^ m i i’^llilll^M^ ■* 







V t- 


w- 



I : 


rVr*^' V-'.'V ,^-, ■ . • • -jr ■• . ■• VAJ ' ■ • X . . • * •'r*' 

' > ' ■ - • 

-ryK'.-. jyLvflk .JiC '^jSSaHSKAi^ . ■ ' \.> ' ' ^ \xh.’k' A* ' * .. '> 



/ 





r* I . tf^f/i:.’ lI'- 



No sooner had Red-Spot reached her safe 
perch than there came rushing toward the 
tree a fierce wild beast. 

Its hoggish nose was trying to find little 
Ab. 

Its sharp fangs were ready to eat 
him. 

It looked like a huge wolf, but it Vas 
spotted and striped. 

It was one of the monster hyenas of 
those days. 

Next to the cave tiger and the cave bear, 
the cave men feared it most. 

The hyena’s loud snarling, as it hunted 
for Ab, must have wakened him and set 
him crying. 

The beast ran to the tree and scented 
the mother and child above him. 

He leaped upward with a fierce growl, 
but Red-Spot only laughed aloud. 

She even poked one bare foot down at 

13 


the leaping beast and waved her leg to 
tease him, for she knew she was safe. 

. After awhile' she grew hungry, but the 
ugly beast would not go away. 

So Red-Spot sent out through the forest 
a strange call, which could be heard a 
great way off. 

The call was answered at once, and as 
Red-Spot repeated the cry, the answering 
voice came nearer and nearer. 

Soon there came a brown man swinging 
easily from branch to branch along the 
treetops. 

It was One-Ear, Ab’s father. 





14 


CHAPTER III 

ONE-EAR AND THE HYENA 


One-Ear, the father of Ab, looked very 
much like Red-Spot, only stronger. 

He had a deeper chest, a heavier jaw and 
a sterner voice. 

He was dressed almost as she was. 

In his belt was a fearful weapon, so 
heavy that none but a strong man could 
have carried it among the treetops. 

It was a big stone ax, with a handle al- 
most three feet long. 

The ax was made fast to the handle 
through a split in the tough wood. 

It was held firm by many knots of sinew. 

When One-Ear swung into the beech 
15 




tree/he sat on a limb and listened to what 
Red-Spot had to tell him. 

Then he climbed high up in the tree and 
broke off a dead limb about two yards 
long. 

With this heavy club he climbed down 
again below Red-Spot and Ab. 

He came so near the ground that the 
leaping beast could almost reach him. 

As the hyena leaped upward in its rage, 
this huge club came crushing against its 
thick skull. 

The beast was stunned by the strong 
blow and fell backward upon the ground. 

Then the cave man dropped to the ground' 
lightly as a monkey. 

The huge stone ax went crushing into 
the brain of the quivering brute, and there 
he lay dead. 

Red-Spot leaped down with baby Ab, and 
all went chattering toward their cave. 

16 


As they went, they kept a sharp watch 
for enemies. 

Cave men could see farther than we can. 

They could hear better, too, and they 
had a keener sense of smell. 

On the way Red-Spot left the path to 
pick up a great leaf full of berries, which 
she had gathered while Ab was lying 
asleep. 

Soon they came to the cave. 

They crept between the piles of stone, 
which made the doorway, and stood 
straight up in the big cave. 

It was almost as large as a school-room 
and nearly as high. 

The floor was twenty feet square, and 
the walls were fifteen feet high. 

There was a hole in the top for smoke 
to go out. 

They had dug it downward from the 
land above by hard work. 

17 


Just under the opening there was a fire- 
place on the floor of the cave, for the cave 
men came to know more and more about 
the use of fire. 

They even knew how to get rid of smoke. 

On the hearth were glowing coals of the 
hardest wood. 

The cave people had neither flint nor 
matches, and their way of starting a fire 
was a hard one. 

Then how careful they must be to keep 
it burning! 

They put on the hardest wood when 
they left their caves, so they would be 
sure to find a bed of coals when they came 
back. 

Red-Spot threw some twigs and dry, 
dead limbs on the live coals. 

Soon there was a roaring flame. 



This lighted up the cave, and One-Ear 
pointed proudly to the food he had brought. 


18 


It was meat of the finest sort and 
enough to last the family a whole week, 
if they could keep it from spoiling. 

It was a hind quarter of a wild horse. 

“A feast! a feast!” cried Red-Spot with 
delight. 

Not for many months had this cave 
family tasted wild horse. 

This little animal was a wary beast and 
very hard to trap or kill. 

It was a very fleet runner, too. 

This had surely been One-Ear’s lucky 



19 


,A CHAPTER IV 

IN THE CAVE HOME 

How pleasant to be safe in their cave 
home again! 

And how hungry they all were! 

Red-Spot put Ab on the floor and began 
to prepare their dinner. 

She tossed the nuts among the ashes and 
live coals to roast. 

One-Ear cut strips of meat from the 
wild horse with a flint knife. 

Then with a sharp-pointed stick two 
yards long, he held the strips of meat over 
the live coals. 

The cave was fllled with the sound of 
crackling nuts and the fragrant odor of 
the broiling meat. 

While they were busy about their meal, 
20 


One-Ear told how he had killed the wild 
horse. 

He had seen a herd of these little horses 
feeding near a great cliff. 

So he climbed to the top of the cliff, 
which was higher than the tallest oak tree, 
and waited till the herd came close beneath 
him. 

Then he rolled a huge rock over the edge 
of the cliff and watched to see what would 
happen. 

It went crashing down among the fright- 
ened herd, and one of the horses was killed. 

He clapped his hands and shouted for 
joy, as he hurried down the cliff to take 
home a choice piece of meat from the horse. 

So this was to be a holiday feast in the 
cave home! 

And it was a feast — savory meat, 
roasted nuts and fresh berries. 

Little Ab had his share too, as he rolled 
21 


and crowed and cooed on the stone floor 
of the cave. 

The little family were very happy. 

They knew not when they might have 
another such feast. 

So they ate their fill, for what was left 
would soon spoil. 

When the meal was ended, they all lay 
down upon a mass of brush and skins, 
which was their bed. 

Baby Ab was soon cuddled close in his 
mother’s arms. 

In a short time the cave family were 
fast asleep. 

They slept peacefully. They knew their 
stone doorway would keep them safe from 
the animals moving about outside. 

None but lank wolves or wild-cats could 
get through. 

And there was something better than 
stones to keep them away. 

22 


The all-night fire of knots and hardwood 
smoked, fiamed and flickered near the 
entrance. 

All was quiet within the cave. 

But outside the great-clawed and sharp- 
toothed beasts fought and howled and 
searched for their prey. 

They were glad that this queer thing— 
man— was out of their way. 

He might trouble them during the day, 
but the night was theirs. 


23 


CHAPTER V 

AB AND HIS NEW PLAYMATE 

Baby Ab grew fast. 

He learned to stand up and run about 
more quickly than babies do nowadays. 

He seldom cried. 

Cave children cried very little unless 
they were hungry. 

Ab had no school such as yours to attend 
every day. 

His school was the great forest all about 
him. 

He learned from Mother Nature with 
ears and eyes wide open. 

He learned to obey his stern father, too. 

Ab thought it hard to mind his parents; 
so, one day his father told him a story. 

24 


One-Ear pointed to his own head where 
only one ear could be seen. 

Then he told Ah that, when he was a 
boy, he did not mind his mother very well. 

One day he ran off into the woods. 

A fierce wild-cat had snatched off one of 
his ears before his father could get to him. 

That is why he was called One-Ear. 

Do you not think Ab obeyed better after 
hearing this story? 

When he was naughty One-Ear used a 
stinging beech twig. 

But this seemed good for Ab, for he had 
grown very fast. 

Have you wondered how Ab got his 
name? 

When he was beginning to talk, all he 
could say was, “Ab.” 

And so his parents named him Ab. 

He had heard of another boy, who lived 
not many miles away in the same forest. 

25 


His name was Oak. 

He was called so because near the cave 
where he was born stood a great oak tree. 

Sometimes Oak’s parents wished to leave 
him in a safe place while they went to 
hunt food. 

So they often tied him in a rude cradle, 
which dangled from a branch of the great 
friendly oak. 

“Why not name the baby after his 
mother oak tree? ” said Stripe-Face. 

And so they did. 

In a few years Ab had grown to be a 
fine, husky lad. 

He could climb trees like a young 
monkey. 

One day he climbed to the very top of a 
great oak tree near the cave. 

Here he found a fine seat on a crooked 
limb. 

He was teetering upon the limb, when 
26 


his sharp eyes saw something in another 
tree far up the river. 

He watched the object for a long time. 

It was teetering, too. 

Could it be Oak swinging in that far-off 
tree? 

How he wished he knew! 

He had never wandered a mile from 
home alone because there was danger 
everywhere. 

But Ab decided to take a trip this warm 
afternoon. 

Off he went, swinging himself from tree 
to tree like a squirrel. 

He passed along many treetops. 

Once in awhile he found the trees too 
far apart. 

Then he slid cautiously down the tree. 

After looking in every direction, he 
made a dash across the open and was up 
another tree in the winking of an eye. 

27 


Then he swung himself from tree to 
tree again. 

Suddenly his sharp ears caught the 
sound of rustling leaves just ahead of him. 

Oh, how quickly he slipped behind the 
trunk of the tree! 

He stood very still for a long time, 
peeping about in every direction to see 
what had frightened him. 

At last he saw a brown head peeping 
from behind another tree not forty yards 
away. 

It was another boy! 

How he had wished for a playmate! 

Maybe this boy would be one! 

After a time they both came into view 
and sat looking at each other. 

Their brown legs were dangling from 
the limbs on which they sat. 

Each waited for the other to speak first, 
just as strange boys do to-day. 

28 


Finally Ab said, “Who are you?” 

“I am Oak,” replied the strange boy, 
“Who are you?” 

“Oh, lamAb.” 

“Where do you come from?” asked Oak. 

“From the cave by the beeches. Where 
do you come from? ” asked Ab. 

“From the cave near the turn of the 
river where that large oak tree is,” said 
Oak. “I am not afraid of you.” 

“I am not afraid of you either,” said Ab. 

“Let us climb down and get on that big 
rock and throw stones into the water,” 
said Oak. 

“All right, ” said Ab. 

Soon the two boys were together on a 
high, safe rock. Ab was having the first 
good time of his life with a playmate. 


29 


CHAPTER VI 

AB AND OAK PLAN A GREAT HUNT 

Ab and Oak had great sport that after- 
noon. 

They became such good friends that Ab 
asked Oak to go home with him. 

Oak had never been allowed to go so 
far from his cave home. 

But he and Ab had such good fun to- 
gether that he said he would go. 

Off they ran along the forest paths to- 
ward Ab’s home. 

But they kept a keen lookout for danger- 
ous beasts. 

Ab’s father and mother liked Oak very 
much. 


30 


One-Ear knew well Oak’s father, Stripe- 
Face, and they were good friends. 

He was called Stripe-Face because, when 
he was a stout lad, he once came sud- 
denly upon a powerful cave bear, 

Stripe-Face fought fiercely for his life. 

The bear had him in a corner. 

With his great claws, the bear made a 
sweep at the lad’s head. 

The sharp claws plowed furrows down 
one cheek, but the boy dodged just in time 
to save himself and get away. 

He got well, after a time, but the bear’s 
claws left red scars on his cheek. 

So he was called Stripe-Face. 

Ab and Oak visited each other very often 
after their first afternoon together. 

‘‘Are we not strong enough now to hunt 
as our fathers do?” said Ab one day. 

So they made great plans for their first 
hunt! 


31 


Nothing would do but they must kill 
some big animal. 

They decided to go alone and kill a wild 
horse. 

Herds of these little horses fed along the 
river valley. 

They made good food for man as well 
as for wild beasts when they could be 
captured. 

The skin of the horse was not good for 
much. 

It would not make a warm cloak, be- 
cause the hair was so short. 

But it made fine strings and thongs. 

It was not so easy to kill a wild horse as 
it might seem. 

The horse knew that man was its 
enemy. 

It could scent a man a long way off, 
and it could run swiftly. 

It always went in herds keeping a safe 

32 


distance from places where a man or beast 
might hide. 

It was so much easier to decide what to 
do with the skin and the meat, than to plan 
how to capture the animal. 

Something was wrong with nearly every 
plan they made. 

Should they hide on a cliff and roll a 
stone into a herd? 

This would have been easy. 

But the horses had learned that it was 
dangerous for them to go near a cliff. 

Every time they did, some were killed 
and all were frightened. 

So they were seldom seen near one. 

The boys might have to wait a long 
time to kill one in this way, and they did 
not want to wait. 

A better plan was to hide in the 
tall grass and try to kill one with a 
club. 


33 


But dangerous beasts often lurked in 
the tall grass, too. 

Besides, it was not safe for the cave 
man to go far from the edge of the forest. 

But the wild horse would not come near 
the forest. 

“Oh, let us plan to kill some other ani- 
mal,” said Oak. 

“No, indeed,” said Ab. “It must be a 
horse. We need the meat for food and 
the skin for strings.” 

“Why not make a deadfall?” shouted 
Oak eagerly. 

“Who ever saw a deadfall big enough 
to kill a horse?” replied Ab. 

“We would need a big tree for that, and 
we could not drag a tree to the right 
place.” 

“We might find a fallen tree somewhere 
which we could prop up, ” said Oak. 

“A horse would not go near it,” said 
34 


Ab, “and if it did,, how could it knock the 
prop away?” 

There was a clump of trees upon the 
plain not more than two minutes’ dash 
from the edge of the forest. 

Near this tree-clump, they had often 
seen horses feeding. 

“I know a good plan,” said Ab. 

“Let us make a home in those trees and 
dig a pitfall close by. ” 

How big should they make it? 

Ab thought the pit should be about four 
steps long, three steps wide and as deep 
as the tallest cave man. 

They would cover the pit with brush and 
turf and see what a few nights would 
bring. 


35 


CHAPTER VII 

THE CAVE BOYS AT WORK 

How delighted they were over this new 
plan! 

They talked about it all day. 

At night they dreamed about it, too. 

It seemed more like play than work. 

But how could they dig the big pit when 
they had no tools? 

They would need something with which 
to loosen the dirt and scoop it out. 

Along the river were great clam- 
shells. 

There were clam-shells in the caves, too, 
for the cave people often used clams for 
food. 


36 


These big shells had sharp edges, and 
Ab said they would make fine scoops. 

With these sharp shells they could cut 
the turf, too. 

So the brave boys set out one day for 
the edge of the forest, nearest to the 
clump of trees in the plain below. 

They planned to keep a careful watch 
till the safe hours of the day. 

Then they would make a dash to the 
tree-clump. 

So, just before mid-day, they swung 
down together to a low sweeping 
branch. 

With anxious eyes they looked over every 
yard of long grass in the valley below. 

They could see a small herd of wild 
horses feeding in the distance. 

Farther away above the deep grass, they 
saw what might be the antlers of a great 
elk. 


37 


But, between them and the tree-clump, 
the grass did not move. 

They could see no trace of any lurking 
beast. 

“Are you afraid?” asked Ab. 

“Not if we run together,” said Oak. 

“All right,” said Ab, “let’s go it with a 
rush.” 

The slim, brown boys dropped lightly to 
the ground. 

Each one held a clam-shell. 

Side by side they darted down the 
slope. 

Across, through the deep grass they ran, 
until they came to the clump of trees. 

Up the largest tree they scrambled like 
two young apes. 

The tree up which they had climbed was 
a huge pine. 

Its lowest branch was thirty feet from 
the ground. 


38 


Here they felt safe from the greatest 
leap of any beast. 

In a half hour they twined several 
branches together and made a solid nest 
and lookout. 

In this nest they curled themselves 
down. 

After much chuckling talk, they made 
their plans. 

Only one boy should dig at a time. 

The other must remain in the nest and 
keep watch. 

They decided to begin work at once, but 
just where should they dig the pit? 

About a hundred feet from the tree was 
a spot where the grass was high. 

Still, it looked as though horses had been 
feeding there. 

Perhaps they would come again. 

The boys did not like to work so far 
from the trees. 


39 


But they thought it best to put the trap 
in the right place. 

Here they stood a better chance of catch- 
ing a wild horse. 

So here the pit was to be dug. 

Now each lad wished to dig first, and 
they had warm words. 

“I will go and dig, and you shall keep 
watch,” said Oak. 

‘'No, ril dig, and you shall watch,” re- 
plied Ab. “I can run faster than you.” 

At last it was settled that Ab should 
dig first, and Oak should watch. 

Ab slid down the tree with his clam- 
shell in his hand. 

He ran to the spot and began to dig. 

Ab found it difficult to cut through the 
tough grass roots. 

But he kept at work. 

“When I once get through the turf it 
will be easier,” shouted Ab to Oak. 

40 



V 


“OAK SHOUTED TO AB TO CHEER HIM ON” 












\ 



f 


/ 


> 




k 


«» 


<4 


< 


t 


« 

• • 1 

0 

i .. . . ^ « 


irrif- ‘ 

’ Mt . «.. 


» 

• ' ♦ 

f 

- r 

I • 

< J 

1 

■ 'V* h' J.'v.' 


j 

> 

f 

1 

* ■ • * 4 ' ' 

0 

• 

« 

• 

• 

■r 

' I 

•t 

V , > • 


• 

• I 

4 

0 

« 

* ^ 

1 

1 


I 

• 

I i 

1 ^ 

' s i 

1 

-. fr - o 

. » 

: I* 

.1 • • 

/ 

1 

. V 

V > 


• . % 


■ \ 






. V . 

. I Ilf... 


( . 

. t 


• 4 


\ 1 •►S >1 






I 


L«- / . 

‘ a ' 








'U- g •;- 

V '. V / • 


:\k 


• ( 






M 


. < 







4 


I 


• • 


He marked the boundary of the pit and 
began chopping out sods. 

Meantime, Oak, with his keen eyes, was 
peering in every direction. 

And all the time he was thinking that 
they were no longer boys but men, for 
were they not doing men’s work? 

‘ ‘How proud our parents will be when we 
have really trapped a wild horse!” thought 
Oak. 

“How surprised all the cave men will 
be!” he said to himself; “and how jealous 
the other cave boys will be to hear Ab and 
Oak praised!” 

He laughed, he clapped his hands, he 
shook the tree, he shouted to Ab to cheer 
him on. 

It was a great moment for the young 
cave boys. 


41 


CHAPTER VIII 

THE MONSTER SEA-SERPENT 


Ab cut up the turf into sods. 

But what should he do with them? 

Oak suddenly called out, ‘‘Don’t put 
the sods and dirt in a pile where the 
animals can see it.” 

Ab thought a minute. 

“I know what we can do,” he said. “We 
must carry the sods and dirt to the bank 
over there and throw them into the marsh. ” 

“That is just the thing to do,” said Oak. 

Below the sod Ab found black dirt and 
easy digging. 

Shellful after shellful he carried from 
the pit. 


42 


He trotted patiently back and forth, but 
it was hard work and very slow. 

Suddenly Oak had a bright idea. 

“We must carry more at a time,” he 
called out. 

Then he tossed down to Ab a wolf-skin, 
which he had brought along to carry back 
acorns in. 

He had noticed, in going back and forth, 
a large crop under some oaks. 

Ab spread the skin upon the grass beside 
him and heaped it with dirt. 

Then he gathered the corners together 
and struggled to the bank to empty it. 

The digging went on much faster now. 

After awhile Ab became tired and out 
of breath. 

Then he threw down the skin and climbed 
into the tree while Oak went to the pit. 

So they worked turn about until the sun 
was low in the west. 

43 


Soon wild beasts would begin to roam 
about for food. 

It was high time that cave boys were 
at home. 

They left the clam-shells in the pit, and 
both climbed into the lookout. 

They looked this way and that to see if 
the way was clear. 

Then they slid quickly to the ground and 
made a dash for the wooded hills. 

Early the next day they were again at 
the pit, working and watching by turns. 

Many a load of dirt was dumped over 
the bank. 

Only once did the watcher notice a wav- 
ing of the high grass at some distance. 

A sharp call brought the worker to the 
tree in a flash. 

Some wild animal passed by, but it did 
not come near the tree. 

The work was quickly taken up again. 

44 


Toward dusk of the second day the black 
dirt in the pit had all been carried away. 

The cave boys had come upon a layer of 
hard-packed gravel. 

“Clam-shells will never do for this hard 
gravel,” shouted Oak from the pit. 

“You watch while I try again,” called 
out Ab. 

But Ab soon threw down the clam-shell. 

“We must find a better tool, or give up 
the pitfall,” said Ab as they set out for 
home that evening. 

“Maybe we can find a heavy, sharp 
stone,” replied Oak. 

“We might bring our gourds full of 
water to soften the hard gravel.” 

“Perhaps we will dream of a better 
way,” said Ab as they parted. 

When Ab returned to the pit the next 
day, he brought with him a sturdy oak 
stick some six feet long. 

45 


It was sharpened to a point and hard- 
ened in the fire. It was almost like iron. 

He plunged it into the pit and pried the 
gravel loose. 

The chunks were lifted out, while the 
loose gravel was dished out with the clam- 
shell. 

So they worked on for several days. 

It was a good thing for them that one 
always kept watch. 

About three o’clock one afternoon Ab, 
who was in the pit, heard a yell from the 
treetop. 

He knew what it meant, and he leaped 
toward the tree just as Oak came tum- 
bling down. 

“Run!” Oak said, and they dashed 
across the open toward the forest. 

Up the first big tree they clambered. 

Oak shouted as he gasped for breath, 
“Look!” 


46 


Ab looked and saw the tall grass waving 
in a long line near the tree-clump they 
had just left. 

Such a sight would have frightened all 
the cave men of the forest together. 

Lifted high above the tall grass was the 
awful head of a great serpent. 

The monster seldom came so far from 
the sea. 

One-Ear had seen it but once in all his 
life, while Stripe-Face had never seen it. 

It was the great serpent of the seas, 
sixty feet long and much thicker across 
the middle than a man’s body. 

On its head were queer dull spots. 

Ab and Oak almost held their breath 
from fear, as they watched the terrible 
monster. 

It glided swiftly across a swamp toward 
the very clump of trees where Ab and Oak 
had been two minutes before. 

47 


The tall grass and weeds shook as it 
passed along without a sound. 

Up over the bank it came where the 
cave boys had been dumping the dirt from 
the pit. 

It coiled its huge body around the largest 
tree where the lookout was, and wound 
itself among the branches. 

Its head swung back and forth just 
below the lowest limb. 

There it lay watching for a chance to 
capture some land animal. 

Ab and Oak made off for home as fast 
as they could run. 


48 


CHAPTER IX 

A BABY RHINOCEROS TRAPPED 

“A sea-serpent? I can hardly believe 
it, ’’ said One-Ear. 

“It is true, just the same,” replied 
Ab. 

“You will believe us when you see that 
awful serpent, ” shouted Oak. 

The cave men opened their eyes wide at 
the story of the terrible visitor. 

The next morning the boys’ fathers 
were with them in the treetops a safe 
distance from the clump of trees. 

The monster was still there. 

Coiled about the tree and among the 
branches, the great serpent still hung 
awaiting its prey. 


49 


Little herds of wild horses were feeding 
in the valley. 

Some elk and wild oxen could also be 
seen here and there. 

One-Ear sped away to seek help from 
the other cave men, while Stripe-Face 
went to arouse the shell people, who lived 
some miles down the river. 

The shell people were greatly frightened 
to think the monster had passed right 
among them. 

And there was no knowing when they 
might be swallowed up, several at a time. 

A dozen shell men followed Stripe-Face 
to the place, but they were too late. 

Ab and Oak had seen a wild ox, about a 
year old, slowly feeding right up to the 
awful monster. 

Suddenly the serpent dipped down and 
quickly wound itself around the poor little 
ox. Thus the monster crushed the ox 


so 



‘‘IT DRIFTED AWAY TOWARD THE SEA” 





*1 


« 


t 


» 


I 





» w 


» 


< 


• • —t 


•I 


* • 




• V 

■u 




I 


« • 

r 


« 


\ 




> 


% 


» *f 

f 

, • 


I 




f 


I 







i 






j 


^ # 




\ 


« 


.. j 



to death and slowly swallowed it whole. 

The cave men thought the serpent would 
lie down to digest its fine breakfast in 
sleep. 

They planned to kill it while it slept. 

But it crawled slowly away. 

Once in the water, it drifted away to- 
ward the sea. 

For three or four days Ab and Oak were 
too excited to think about anything but 
that terrible visitor. 

Many queer animals were now feeding 
in the little valley. 

There were herds of bison and horned 
cattle — not like what we see to-day— but 
strange and queer. 

There were the wild horses; the great 
elk and reindeer not far apart. 

The big, hairy rhinoceros was again 
crossing the valley and wallowing in the 
swamps. 


51 


The monster cave bear was lurking 
about for a chance to strike some careless 
animal a death blow. 

The ugly, fierce hyenas were slinking 
here and there. 

All this change had come, because the 
boys had been away for about a week. 

The fiercest of these beasts usually 
followed the harmless horses and oxen. 

They would not attack a cave man unless 
very hungry. 

When the boys came back to the woods 
near the valley, the horses and oxen scent- 
ed them and went away. 

The other wild beasts went, too. 

In a few days the digging was over. 

Now the pit must be covered so the 
horse would be in before he knew it. 

Across the top, they laid slender branches 
very close together. These they carried 
in armfuls from the forest. 


52 


Over the branches, they spread layers 
of dry grass. 

Then they spread dirt, more twigs and 
grass again. 

The place looked very innocent, and the 
animal that could notice the trap must 
have keen eyes indeed. 

The boys now kept to the wooded hills 
so as not to frighten away the game. 

Every day they watched with eager eyes 
from the treetops. 

Once a great elk came very close to the 
pit and stood under the tree-clump, but it 
soon went its way. 

One frosty morning, when they came to 
watch, they, saw tracks and dark lines 
over the valley everywhere in the frost. 

Soon they saw that there was no frost 
around the pit, and they shouted for joy. 

Some animal must have been trampling 
about it. 


53 


With spear in hand, they bounded side 
by side to the edge of the covered trap. 

When they saw what the pitfall held, 
they danced and yelled together. 

In that pitfall was a young rhinoceros 
calf only a few months old. 

But it was so big that it almost filled 
the pit. 

It was wedged in so tightly that it could 
not move in any direction. 

It struggled clumsily, when it saw the 
cave boys, but it was helpless. 

All about the pitfall, the earth was 
plowed in furrows and beaten down by the 
feet of some monstrous animal. 

It was plain that the mother had spent 
the night about the young calf, trying to 
help it out. 

The boys did not laugh long, for they 
knew there was danger if the mother was 
near. 


54 


Where had she gone? 

They looked about but could see no trace 
of her. 

Suddenly there was a splashing among 
the bushes in the swamp near by. 

Some huge animal was rushing toward 
the pit. 

They clambered up the tree just as the 
mother rhinoceros charged upon them, 
mad with rage. 


SS 


CHAPTER X 


SABRE-TOOTH AND THE RHINOCE- 
ROS 

The rhinoceros of the stone age was a 
monstrous animal. 

It was larger and fiercer than those of 
to-day. 

Its skin was an inch thick and as tough 
as leather. 

It was covered with dark, curly hair. 

It was king of all the dangerous beasts 
of those days. 

It was powerful, too, and as bold as a 
lion. Nothing could stop its mad rush. 

Even the huge mammoth and Sabre- 
Tooth, the horrible cave tiger, kept out of 
its way. 


56 


But the rhinoceros was a stupid animal, 
and it could not see far. Still the monster 
beast could see the boys in the tree. 

She charged directly at them, snorting 
fiercely. 

Her great body touched the tree as she 
passed, and made it shake. 

But the boys were safe. 

The beast snorted about for a time and 
then returned to the pitfall. 

She began walking round and round 
her calf. 

The poor mother would get down on her 
knees and plow the dirt with her horns. 

She would seek to get her snout beneath 
the calf’s body to lift it out, but every 
time she failed. 

The calf fitted too tightly into the pit. 

The boys clung to their perches. 

Hours passed, but the mother would 
not leave. 


57 


It was three o’clock in the afternoon, 
when she went away to wallow and rest 
in the swamp. 

Several times she came back snorting, 
but at last she settled down in the swamp, 
tired out. • 

The boys waited until all was quiet. 

As soon as they thought the beast was 
asleep, they slid down the tree. 

They stole by the pitfall toward the for- 
est, almost holding their breath for fear 
they might make a noise. 

Soon they were on the run for the 
forest-covered hills. 

Each started with all speed for his 
home. 

Such news as they had to tell! 

An hour later they returned with their 
fathers, all armed with their best weapons. 

As they stood looking from the hilltop, 
all seemed quiet about the pitfall. 

58 


It was now late in the afternoon. 

So they thought the best plan was to 
steal down across the valley, kill the calf, 
and then run back to the hills. 

They thought that when the mother 
found her calf dead, she would leave the 
valley. 

Then the cave men could take the calf 
out, and there would be a great feast on 
its tender flesh. 

But the wind blew from the hill, where 
the cave men were, toward the river. 

The rhinoceros had a keen scent, if it 
could not see far. 

Still they decided to risk a trial. 

So they set out as noiselessly as tigers. 

They were not half way across the val- 
ley, when the mother rhinoceros scented 
them. 

She floundered up and charged wildly in 
their direction. 


59 


The men and boys fled to the hills, but 
none too soon. 

The angry beast was close behind them. 

She walked in circles about the trees in- 
to which they had climbed, snorting with 
rage. 

After awhile she went back to her calf 
to try again to lift it out. 

It was dusk now, and night was creep- 
ing over forest and valley. 

The rhinoceros once more left her babe 
for the swamp. 

Should the cave men risk their lives 
again by trying to reach the pitfall from 
another direction? 

It was getting darker, and the beasts of 
prey were roaming about for food. 

They decided to try to reach the pit 
from another direction, so the mother 
beast could not scent them. 

They had gone but a little way when 
60 


One-Ear leaped back and waved his hand 
to the others to stop. 

He pointed to where the high grass was 
waving. 

Some big animal was moving toward 
the pitfall. 

Straining their eyes, they saw a dark 
body coming nearer and nearer the help- 
less calf. 

It crouched down like a huge cat, not 
twenty feet from the pit. 

Then with a terrible roar, the dark ani- 
mal shot through the air and landed on 
the back of the poor rhinoceros calf. 

It was a big cave tiger. 

They could hear wild cries of pain and 
suffering, and the fearful hoarse growls 
of the tiger. 

For a moment all was quiet. 

Then came the fierce snorts of the huge 
rhinoceros mother, coming with all speed. 

61 


She charged at the great tiger. 

Such fierce snorting and terrible roaring! 

The cave men knew that a terrible bat- 
tle was going on, but they could not see 
distinctly. 

How would it end? 

The beasts were still fighting, when it 
became so dark that the men and boys 
fied swiftly toward home. 

Early next morning the four were to- 
gether again on the hill near the battle 
ground. 

There was no sound of life. 

All the other animals had fied at the 
sounds of the cave tiger and rhinoceros. 

The cave men and their sons cautiously 
made their way toward the pitfall. 

They found the half -eaten body of the 
calf in the pitfall. 

It had no doubt been killed by the tiger’s 
first blow. 


62 


Its back had been broken by the tiger’s 
powerful paw. 

All about were signs of the deadly bat- 
tle, but no animals could be seen. 

The huge rhinoceros could not catch the 
monster cat upon its sharp horns. 

Nor could the tiger pierce the tough hide 
of the rhinoceros. 

The long, weary battle had, perhaps, 
ended by the tiger leaving the mother 
with her dead calf. 

When she knew her young to be surely 
dead, she left the valley. 

The tiger had then returned and fed its 
fill. But there was much good meat left. 

One-Ear and Stripe-Face set to work 
with their flint knives to cut out great 
lumps of meat from the body in the pit. 

Suddenly they remembered that the 
tiger never left its prey until it was all 
eaten. 


63 


The tiger must be lying asleep not far 
away. 

Suppose he should awake and return on 
his soft paws! 

The four fled to the hills carrying masses 
of flesh. 

There was enough food for a day or two 
for both families. 

Some days later the boys returned again 
to And only bones in the pitfall they had 
dug. 


64 


CHAPTER XI 

TAMING THE WOLF CUBS 

Ab and Oak became the best bird hunt- 
ers among all the cave boys. 

They knew the best way to set a snare, 
and they could hurl a stone straight to the 
mark. 

There were many kinds of birds on land 
as well as on the creeks and rivers. 

Wild geese and ducks could be seen in 
great flocks upon the water. 

When the ducks came close to shore to 
feed, the young hunters would often leap 
from their hiding place and hurl stones 
among the thick bunch. 

They seldom failed to bring down at 
least one bird among so many. 

65 


There were eggs to be found along the 
shore; and an egg, baked in ashes, was a 
great treat. 

The boys often speared a muskrat. 

Indians and some of ^the white hunters 
of Canada to-day still eat roasted muskrat. 

Once Ab saw a seal, which had come up 
the river from the sea. 

He called to Oak, and they gave chase 
along the bank, as the seal darted along 
in the water. 

They followed it for miles along the 
river bank, hurling stones and clubs, but 
it escaped. 

Such sport as they had on land, too! 

There were the wild hogs, but they were 
wary, and the big boars were dangerous. 

Once in awhile the lads pounced upon 
a litter of young pigs. 

These they soon pierced with their flint- 
headed spears. 


66 


Then the caves were filled with the de- 
licious odor of roast pig. 

Often the young hunters chased a mar- 
ten, a marmot or a hedgehog to its burrow 
in the ground. 

Then how they did dig! 

Clam-shells or spade-sticks hardened in 
the fire were brought into use. 

It was slow work, but the boys liked it, 
and their families needed food. 

They had no dog to help, when the ani- 
mal was reached, but they seldom allowed 
one to get away. 

It was a great night in the cave when 
Ab brought home, one evening, two fiuf- 
fy, gray bundles. 

They were not larger than kittens, but 
they were two young wolves. 

He tied them in a corner with thongs of 
sinew. 

For some time Ab and Oak had noted 
67 


lurking shadows on the rocky hill close by 
the river, some distance below the cave of 
Ab. 

They resolved to find out what the ob- 
jects were. 

An ugly brute was the wolf of the cave 
man’s time. 

Still he would not fight alone. 

So Ab and Oak, both well armed, made 
a hunt for the dens. 

They found two dens, each with young 
in them. 

Each boy seized two cubs, and off they 
ran with as much speed as was in them. 

Luckily for them, the robbed mother 
wolf was too far away to hear them. 

So the boys reached home safely with 
their prizes. 

Ab was delighted. 

He was determined to feed his cubs— to 
care for them and to keep them alive. 

68 



AB PLAYING WITH THE WOLF CUBS 




J. . 

• V ■" ‘ ' 



A 1 

•. i^V. -• 


ifl •- 




N- ■■ 




•< ' 

t r 


It ‘ ' ' 




\ f 

• 1 • 

r • 

s 

• 

• • 


ist 

.'• r. ■ 
■r i. 

r j;,, : 

y t 

t 

■ '-^ ■“ 
'* * ^ 

^ • 



,• '/' '■ v- ~" / I .v,^' :;a 





4 


' k- 


v; • 


Vl 

V 

I 


.Y? 




/ > 

• • • 


b- * ,’*•' • ' 


*1 - 
ifc . K • - 

r- *.‘r . . ■ 




7 ^ 


'VXi^ l-,vlv -•. • 

,..>V:i^;v' t:? 


/' * 



A*- 


:-r> 


* - ) 


i'.'t 


V ’; . ‘_^ ' ' i ; 

• ■ "' c '• • ^ ’ 

... 


•'k .• ' < 


. /• 


' W'’ 


I. 






^ •.•' f 

J 







£-J 





#' ^' ' :•.«. * ■ 


. > 


>. i 




». ^ 




t, 


t J 


*,f ■ 

v'' 

. t 



1 . -Vt 

f, ■ * '■ 

- » ‘N ’ *'1, 


*• .A- . * 

• • 

. * 

^ .■ J^s'* '. 

' ’ ' .i 

, . .. • .M7;V: ^- • . . 

• '*''** 7 *'i ' ' ''*' • • 

.*» ' '• , t. 

•*• 5 . *1 - 



. * t . 

/ • "* *1^ • f ' * ' * 

1 t -*• 

ii. • 

& 

4^ B 

., * >V » T> ■> 

.1 r . -1 

* _ • 

• 






-r t‘ 


-y’’* ; ■ 


*V* 


. r 










( 


r ^ 







' > ’ 'i 

■■f. .-;■ 

4,.' ' ■ 



K f 


y , 

i': 

,> T ' 

' t‘ 

•Iv , 

r. 

, »f 

;; -. 




I ^ 

* 



r'"'. .';-T> ’I;" ^ 

' ■ 

A.: 


• .* 

t ., 1*4 


• t‘ 


■ •• .) ^4* ' i' iT^ ' ^ * -** »'! • • 


t • 


vv. 


M, 


y 

/ , 


\' 
' t 





^ . 






\ \ V - 

;•'.% I • A*' *^ ■ 



f 

£ 


.y' 


y '. 







■ .7,?. <’-- 

.T-. ;.'<**• 

< ^ 



j 


t( 


j I 


\r U m ^ * '* ■ 

/• r''-* L ♦ s r . , , I 

. •. "/*.?/ ‘ 




/ 


• « 
VI 




_ ' ^ 

I 


I • 
« \ 


f , 


• , . , . .f A * i y- 

i> . . .. • / ». 


^ * 


» .« 


‘ *4 ^- f 


* -' 
I .• 


"t 


I 

t ^ 


t* '■ 




‘v.' 


-/• i 

. ,,r 


‘If •<» • -.."r .'. •. • • • - ' . - 

•r / • t • t * V • j .«^r’ ^ 

*-'• vV. -^'-.v .' 

K^ik' * • . Ittv4w 


‘ -V ■ 

'. ■ . -‘"rr^^SrVv 


.«.r 



»., 






V iiprj 

. ‘ ^ * ■ » 

4 









'V'-* ‘ '.V ■ tX • 



rJtt?- ' ;.V>VxV.1r- i. •' i"-. / '• t\s.- . 


,.'V V - -1*:^,' A,. ,• ’ •. './'•■f* 

. ■ ■. . ■:» 



His little brother, Bark, and sister, 
Beech-Leaf, were wild with joy over 
them. 

Baby Beech-Leaf was very fond of the 
little beasts and could usually be found 
lying in the corner with them. 

' The baby wolves learned in time to play 
with her as if she were a cub herself. 

Bark, too, played with the little beasts. 

Even the father and mother became 
interested in the young wolves. 

Ab was a little disappointed, because the 
wild things would not become tame in a 
few days. 

The cubs grew, and their teeth became 
longer and sharper. 

Then there were little battles among the 
children and their wild playmates. 

The arms of Bark and Beach-Leaf were 
soon so scarred that Ab had to turn his 
pets loose. 


69 


But they did not flee to the forest as he 
thought they would. 

Each night they were at the entrance of 
the cave, whining for meat. 

Bones were thrown to them, and they 
snarled and yelped for joy. 

The young wolves hung about the cave 
and growled whenever strangers came, 
just as watchdogs do now. 

One day, after they were full grown 
wolves, one of them was found in the 
rear of the cave with four little young 
cubs lying beside her. 

Who could turn the little mother and 
her cubs out of the cave now? 

The little puppies were petted and grew 
up tamer and more willing to obey than 
the older wolves had been. 

The wolves became useful to the family, 
and soon other cave men came to Ab’s 
home for a pair of pets. 

70 


As time went by these wolves became 
tamer. 

But it was a long, long time before 
children could play with them safely. 

The cave men came to use tame wolves 
to hunt with. 

They became fine watch dogs, too. 

They were the great grandfathers of all 
the dogs of to-day. 



71 


CHAPTER XII 
OLD MOK 


One day a crippled man came to live in 
Ab’s home. He was called Old Mok. 

He was not very old, but he was bent 
and could only hobble about. 

One of his legs was curved, because of a 
battle he had with a wild beast. 

He had a shock of grizzled hair and a 
short stiff beard. 

While his legs were weak, his brain and 
arms were strong. 

His arms were those of a great climber. 

He was at home in the treetops, but he 
seldom went far from the cave. 

In his youth Old Mok had been a mighty 
hunter. 


72 


He had learned the ways of beasts and 
swimming things. 

He knew, better than any other cave 
man, the best way to capture an animal. 

But he could not hunt any more. 

Do you think the cave people would cast 
Old Mok out to be eaten by the wild beasts? 

No, indeed. Old Mok was welcome in 
any cave home in all the valley. 

He was such a skillful maker of weapons 
that each cave family gladly offered him a 
home. 

He had lived in many different homes, 
but now he had come to live with his old 
friend, One-Ear. 

He was a fierce-looking old man, but Ab 
liked him from the very first. 

Ab sometimes saw a twinkle in his fierce 
eyes. 

So this crippled old man and the healthy 

lad became fast friends. 

73 


Old Mok could chip flint or carve a mam- 
moth tooth in a way that was wonderful 
to all the other cave men. 

When Ah had a great hunt planned, he 
always told Old Mok about it and asked 
his advice. 

Old Mok had grown fond of this strong 
young lad, and they were together much 
of the time. 

Ab looked on, while Old Mok made 
spearheads and knives and skinscrapers 
from flint. 

They found pieces of flint shaped like a 
spear. Flint was the hardest substance 
that the cave people knew about. 

' It looked solid, but it was really made 
up of layers or flakes. 

These flakes could be chipped or pried 
off, if one knew how to do it. 

These chips, or flakes of flint, had sharp, 
rough edges. 


74 


On one side, they were hollow like the 
inside of a spoon. 

On the other side, they were round like 
the outside of a spoon. 

This did not make a good tool. 

What the cave men wanted was a spear- 
head rounded on both sides, but sharp at 
the edges. 

Old Mok showed Ab how to chip away 
flakes first on one side and then on the 
other, till only the core was left. 

The core proved to be just what they 
wanted, for it made a mighty spear- 
head. 

"When Old Mok wished to make a heavy 
ax or mallet, he used granite or red- 
stone. 

It took a long time to make a good 
weapon, and much hard work— as well as 
skill. 

Almost anybody could break off flakes 
75 


of flint, but all the chips must be about 
the same size, or the weapon was spoiled. 

Old Mok could do this perfectly. 

Nobody tried to equal Old Mok, for he 
knew just how hard to strike every time, 
and how to shape the core of flint. 

Ab hung about the old man at his work 
and was at last allowed to help him. 

Sometimes Ab made the long spear 
shafts, which were of wood. 

For this work he used a flint scraper. 

At last Old Mok allowed Ab to try his 
hand at chipping stone. 

He gave Ab, at first, only those pieces 
of flint that were not very good. 

So he did not care if Ab spoiled them, 
and a great many were spoiled. 

But Ab had a good eye and a steady 
hand, and in time he learned to strike off 
a flake almost as well as his teacher. 

He now tried his hand at the very fine 
76 



'SOMETIMES AB MADE THE LONG SPEAR SHAFTS’ 




** -i' 

4 *v 

• V ‘ 


V'*' ' 




'■ >- 


»« 





< ' 


■•■•f-' - 


f Siw':'-' r>;f '<jri'’'*‘ ■ 

■ 'I' . :•"* 


^ .<>- 


> V 


♦• * s 


•> * 




»! ’ 


- 4 


i tC 


I ^ 


> i 


:., v,^ 




> Jto 


•v! •!. ■' 


-» 




r /‘4\'- 







«( 


1 1 . 


^*. * 


*• 


•*'» . 

t'/ 


V :■ . 




V 




I 


> ' 


J Vi^l! 






I*'/ ■ - -i/l ' ’ - ' 

U-/^* -c.'-) V *../ A*'' •' » . 

V ' V.'- ^ V 

^ # *i • 


•u ' ^ A . 


• \ 




' '-•4* X\ 

\<-: . <’.*\ , i- 


,; r^ V-. 


1 

■ -'* ■ 

' '4 

« . • 

• 


« • 


r'*^' ■ 

• 

•1 ' 

' 4* 

•> 4 ■ 

ir*"' 

. ^ f 



.r 

I 

• 




^ . 


>• 

< ■ 

• 


♦ 

,< 1 ‘ 

• 

“n 

• 

. 'A 


• 

’4'. ;f 








« r 


. » ». 




.* -.‘VX.. 

>;> , A' 


-j^- -.vf- '• 1 


WW 




.. r*t'« 

—I 0-1 


r 1 «• » • 

1 ^ , 

« 


i 1 

■ Ei?S* 



•fv - 


^ ^ "JV • ‘ 


«» 

4 » 


^ •' 

I *1 • 

A • V - > . . ■ 




. ■■* 
> 1 


i 

-N 4 ^ 
. < ' ' 


* <•' 



I »1 

i 


% 


s 


4 

I 


.V 


% 



► I 


V:' 


» / 




%*• 


r. 

X 


« -« I 


m 

■>v»^ ' 





, I 

t* 




'* ,.* 




■r^V’ 

. ’ ■n 


•i 




.‘v<i 


* 




- • 


. .-’^ 

« 

' <' 

• - v»- 


4 ” • 

4. 

i • ‘<i *• . ■ 

J '• . • *^V4-« « • 

* W * A 

1 •»> i 

- i\ 

• • 
% 

* 4 '/ 


* - • 

. ^ 

r A" > “S 

• 

t 

A ■ ■ 

^ j‘> 

V 


i * « 

‘ •'■ 


V, 


• _ ' ' m ^ • ' '‘t «■• k ' # • . » 

I ^ • ’ V •« * N I . ' / . ■ . ■ - • 

•• X )v '■<% i-'- ' . .• ,.r 







4. 


4> 


''Sr* ■■■>■•'> ‘'-HF ■' ' ^ 





V: / 1 . * . 


^'1 '♦a 

rl' •' ■'« 

‘ : • . ' ■ • -M ’> 


* ' ; 1''-*^^ ’ 
» _j» * • ' 


t « 







/ 1 


;V. / 


♦ I . 'f 

-• • tk.' 

* ' ' ‘ t 

• , r *!• w. • , j ■ 

• . V 


i .« 

%4. 


•1 


4 « 




i 


J*/ s 



-. .• A, * 'a*^ 14- ^ 

^ « i” ^ A. *. -' w •*. / « 

'. :■ ■». 

• . ‘ 


n 





r' 

1 . 4 ! 


.•..■• fV 


v 

I * 









iM 




«* 

y 


TK 


•.*i*' 

•t) 

r 


^ 4 


- * *- * 

‘ ' 

4*+-V . 




V 


•i'-J;; 

r- i - 


• :\ •* 


: • /. 


(I 


V 0* 


, I 


✓ . 


« » 




■ • •' 1 

T 


>. 

* 

4 A' ... 


■ • 


*. » » 


» « 


4 

? 


« <1 ' 


• -'v 

^ « r « ^ 


;o -v ‘. 

• * : •••4 •,• 


'l- - ■ ••v> 4 -*v 

r*v.(-. . . ■'» '• ' ^ 


.V 







. (, 

iv' 

ii'^ 


. 3i-a‘H v 



. tt 

« 


. ^ .... 

i ' • * >• 

♦ ^ *• "t ,- 

I * “v ’ 

v> -<. •■,-• : . , _ « 

.J * 


• ■ 


't 

r 

»i 






S J 




'^. V , 




-) • . 


.< . . 1^ 


' ' • V 

4' 4.' . 





itti- t 



chipping which completed the weapon, and 
Old Mok said it was good enough for any 
hunter to use. 

Ah was always trying a new kind of 
flint chipper, or he held one stone on the 
flint and tapped on this with another stone. 

He was always bent on making the flint 
knives a little thinner, or the spearhead a 
trifle heavier. 

And he kept asking Old Mok so many 
questions that nobody could answer all 
of them. 

One-Ear was delighted at the fine work 
of his son, Ab, for the family always 
needed new weapons. 

One-Ear was a mighty hunter, but Ab 
could now make better tools than his 
father. 


77 


CHAPTER XIII 

AB’S NEW METHOD OF COOKING 


Red-Spot was as fine a cook as could be 
found among the cave dwellers. 

She was proud of her cooking utensils. 

There was the wood fire to cook by. 

Red-Spot had long, pointed sticks on 
which she put all kinds of meat and held 
them over the fire to broil. 

There was too much smoke in such a 
way of broiling to suit us to-day, but the 
cave people did not mind the taste of 
smoke. 

They were glad enough to get their meat 
cooked in any way they could. 

Red-Spot knew how to roast nuts and 
clams in the hot coals and ashes. 


78 


She had learned how to roast fish, 
too. 

She first covered the fish with clay so 
the hot coals would not touch it, and then 
covered it— clay and all — with live coals 
and ashes. 

What fine eating this must have been! 

The cave people did not know how to 
make cooking vessels out of clay. 

Neither did they know what iron is. 

So they had no vessels that could hold 
water and be used for cooking over a fire. 

They learned how to boil meat in a very 
strange way. 

One day Ab happend to throw some hot 
stones from the ashes into some water. 

He thought it was great fun to hear it 
sizzle and see the steam. 

He kept throwing in hot stones until he 
could not find any more. 

Then he tried to get the stones out of 
79 


the water, and the water was so hot it 
burnt his hand badly. 

He cried out in pain. 

Bark came running to see what was the 
matter. 

Ab told him not to touch the wicked 
water. 

Bark walked up close and threw in a 
bone from which he was eating to see if 
the water would sizzle. 

Then he tried to get it out and got burnt, 
too. 

For a long time nobody dared to touch 
the wicked water. 

The next day Ab resolved to find out if 
the water was still angry at him. 

So he put his finger in very slowly and 
found it was cold. 

Being hungry, he seized the meat bone 
that Bark had put into the water. 

What fine eating it was! 

80 


Ab thought he had never tasted any- 
thing so good. 

The whole family had a taste of the first 
stew. 

Red-Spot often had stews after that, 
when Ab was through making the water 
angry with hot stones. 

Everybody soon learned Ab’s way of 
cooking meat. 

It was a great discovery for the cave 
people. 


81 


CHAPTER XIV 
AB AND HIS BIG KETTLE 

Ab was a pretty good boy to his 
mother. 

He had to be, for Red-Spot was a strong 
woman, and a blow from her hand was 
something to be feared. 

So he helped do many things about the 
cave. 

He wanted to make for his mother the 
biggest boiling pot to be found in those 
days. 

Old Mok encouraged him. 

Ab said he would make it out of a huge 
sandstone rock that lay just outside the 
cave. 

It had a top, which was nearly flat. 

82 


Ab thought he could work better, if he 
could get this big rock inside the cave. 

So he got the whole family to help him 
roll it into the cave, and it was all they 
could do to move it. 

After much hard lifting, Ab had the 
stone where he wanted it. 

A great pot it was to be! 

Old Mok took a stone ax and chipped 
out a circle on the flat top of the 
stone. 

The circle was two feet across. 

Inside this circle the sandstone must be 
dug out as deep as they wished to make 
the kettle. 

Hard work this was, but Ab was equal 
to the job. 

He went at his task like a brave lad. 

He pecked away with a stone chisel set 
firmly in reindeer’s horn. In a few days 
he had made quite a hollow, but he got 

83 


along so slowly that he began to wonder 
how he might plan to dig faster. 

The sandstone was hard. 

Ab wanted more weight to his chisel. 

He thought much. 

‘ ‘Ha ! ” said Ab. ‘ ‘I think I have it now. ’ ' 

He took a long stick and bound his chisel 
to it at one end with strips of skin. 

To the other end of the stick he tied a 
stone, that was rather heavy. Then with 
both hands he lifted his new tool high and 
let it drop into the sandstone. 

The flint chisel bit more deeply than 
before, and sand flew in every direction. 
‘ ‘ Hurrah ! ” cried Ab, ‘ ‘ that is flne ! ” 

Before many days the lad had dug in 
the sandstone rock a deep hollow, that 
would hold much meat and water. 

Ab was delighted, and Red-Spot was 
proud of her son, who had made such a 
big kettle. 


84 



'AB RAKED OUT THE HOT STONES AND DROPPED 
THEM INTO THE KETTLE” 






m 

i 



b I 





1 ^ 4 


t 


w 



« 

J 

( 

I . 




• ■* 


r 


I ft 
\ 


f 





Ab filled it nearly full of water and put 
great chunks of reindeer meat into it, for 
One-Ear had had a lucky hunt that day. 

The cave fire was heaped high with dry 
wood, and soon there was a wide bed of 
coals. 

Upon these coals Ab threw many little 
stones. 

In a little while they were shining hot. 

Ab made a sort of tongs out of green 
withes. 

With these he raked out the hot stones 
and dropped them into the kettle of meat 
and water. 

Within a little time the water was fairly 
boiling. 

The monster stew was soon giving off 
rich odors. 

Now the feast was ready. 

There was a rush for the clam-shells, 
which served for soup dishes, or cups. Each 
85 


one had a sharp stick with which to spear 
for a piece of the boiled meat. 

Bark and Beech-Leaf were not getting 
their share, and they set up a clamor. 

The stew was delicious, and there was 
plenty for all. 

You might not like such a stew, for the 
cave men had no salt in it, but perhaps 
the dirt on the stones made a flavor to 
suit them. 


86 


CHAPTER XV. 

AB MAKES A NEW WEAPON. 


It happened one afternoon when Ah was 
about twenty years old, that he was 
lying lazily upon the ground near the 
cave. 

Not far away were Bark and Beech- 
Leaf rolling about. 

Bark had found a long, stiff twig. 

He was idly bending the ends of the 
twig together and then letting them fly 
apart with a snap. 

He did this as he walked toward little 
Beech-Leaf to frighten her. 

Tired of this, at last. Bark drew forth a 
string of sinew from the pouch in his 
skin cloak. 


87 


He drew the ends of the strong twig 
nearly together like a bow. 

Then he tied the string to both ends to 
hold it fast. 

Bark had made something new, but he 
did not know what it was, nor how to use it. 

He drew the string back and let it go 
with a twang ! 

“What a funny noise! ” said Beech-Leaf. 

Bark liked it, too; so he kept up the 
twanging sound. 

After a while he picked up a long, 
slender stick of white wood. With this 
he began drumming upon the tight string. 

This made a new kind of noise. 

“What a fine plaything!” said Beech- 
Leaf. 

At last Bark put one end of his stick 
against the string and pushed it back until 
the other end of the stick pressed against 
the inside of the twig. 

88 


This was something new, too. 

Bark found the stick would stay between 
the taut string and the twig without being 
held there. 

Once, when he had the stick there, 
something dreadful happened. 

Bark was drawing the stick back against 
the string, when both the stick and string 
slipped from his hand, and the stick flew 
away. 

Just then Beech-Leaf set up a loud 
cry. 

She screamed terribly. 

Ab leaped to his feet and was by his 
sister in a moment. 

He found her screaming and holding out 
her fat little arm. 

From her arm dangled the little shaft of 
wood, which Bark had been playing with. 

The stick had pierced her arm deeply 
enough to make it hold. 

89 


Bark stood looking at her in wonder and 
fear. 

Ab did not know but that Bark had 
meant to hurt her, so he started to punish 
him. 

With a yell, Bark ran behind a tree. 

He shrieked out that he did not mean to 
do it. 

He told Ab about his queer little play- 
thing and offered to show him how it 
happened. 

When Ab saw that Beech-Leaf was not 
badly hurt, he began to laugh. 

The stick had not gone much deeper 
than the skin. 

So Ab let Bark show him how it hap- 
pened. 

Bark took the little bow and stick, drew 
back and let it go. 

This time there was another yell, but it 
was not that of a child. 

90 


His arrow had hit his big brother in the 
chest. 

Bark threw down the toy and fled into 
the forest with a howl of fear. 

He thought Ab would surely whip him. 

Ab did start after his little brother, but 
he soon stopped and plucked away the 
stick, which had not gone deeply in. 

He knew that Bark was really not to 
blame. 

He picked up the plaything and began 
to look at it closely. 

He drew back the arrow stick, as he had 
seen Bark do, and let it go. 

Away flew the arrow, farther than his 
strong arm could have tossed it. 

“Ho, ho!” cried Ab. “That is a fine 
plajdhing.” 

“I’ll make one like it, only larger, ” he 
said. 

Ab then called Bark to come back. 


91 


They played with this wonderful bow 
and arrow for an hour or more. 

The next day Ab cut from the limb of a 
tree a branch as thick as his finger and a 
yard long. 

They trimmed the little twigs off and 
then bent it back, as Bark had done the 
twig. 

Then Ab tied a strong sinew across. 

It was not a bad bow. 

Ab next cut a straight willow twig nearly 
as long as the bow. 

When he tried his new bow and arrow, 
he was greatly astonished. 

With his strong arm, he drew the arrow 
stick back nearly to its head and let 
it go. 

The arrow flew so fast and so far that 
Ab had a long hunt to find it. 

Then he went into an open place so he 
might follow the arrow with his eye. 

92 


Again he drew the arrow back to the 
end and let it fly! 

“Wonderful 1 ” cried Ab. 

The arrow flew straight and deep into 
the bark of an oak tree and hung there 
quivering. 

A bright idea came into Ab’s mind. 

“What if I should put a flint point on it 
and point it at a reindeer, ” said Ab. 

Off he ran with great delight to show 
this wonderful new plaything to old Mok. 


93 


CHAPTER XVI 
THE GREAT SECRET 

Old Mok listened to what Ab said about 
his wonderful plaything. 

Ab begged him to come out and see 
what it would do. 

At first Old Mok laughed at Ab. 

He said it must be only a silly toy. 

But at last he hobbled out into the open 
place to see with his own eyes. 

Ab showed his old friend what the thing 
would do. At the second shot Old Mok’s 
face beamed with delight. 

“Ab,” he said, “run to the cave and 
bring my best spear. ’ ’ 

Ab was back as soon as his strong legs 
could carry him. 


94 


He found Old Mok had stepped olf just 
a spear's throw from the biggest oak tree. 

“Stand here and throw your spear at 
the tree/’ said Mok. 

“Throw as hard as you can.” 

Ab threw the spear with all his might 
at the tree. 

But he was so far away that the flint 
point pierced only the bark and fell to the 
ground. 

“Now take the plaything,” said Old 
Mok, “and throw your little shaft at the 
same tree. ” 

Ab did as he was told. 

Several times he shot, but each time he 
missed the big tree. 

At last he aimed better and hit it, 
whack ! 

Old Mok laughed for joy. 

“It may be there is something to your 
plaything,” he said. 


95 


“We will make a better one. We will 
make a stronger bow and a straighter 
arrow. 

“On the end of the arrow, we will put 
a little flint spear-head. ” 

For days they worked, and at last they 
made a fine bow of ash. 

The arrow was very straight, and it had 
a sharp flint point on one end. 

At the other end they cut out a notch to 
fit it to the string. 

With this fine bow they stood two spear 
throws from the tree. 

With strong arms Ab drew back the 
arrow in the big bow. 

Twang ! and the arrow whistled through 
the air. 

Straight to the tree it flew, and buried 
its flint head deep in the wood. 

Old Mok and Ab clapped their hands 
and shouted for joy. 


96 


This was a better weapon than the cave 
men had ever seen before. 

Ab could hardly wait till he could find 
an animal, so anxious was he to use his 
wonderful bow and arrow. 

Off he went to hunt, happy as a lark. 

He carried his stone ax and flint knife, 
but he left the old spear at home. 

He had something better than a spear 
now. 

He carried a big, strong bow and a 
sheaf of arrows, for he knew one would 
not be enough. 

He had made a quiver for the arrows. 

It was a hollow bone from a mammoth’s 
leg. They had drilled holes and tied a 
wooden bottom to it. 

It seemed a dreadfully long time before 
he found any game. 

Late in the afternoon, Ab came upon a 
little cliff by a creek. 

97 


Just across the creek he saw a fine herd 
of little deer. 

They were feeding and slowly walking 
toward him. 

By good luck, the wind was blowing 
from them toward him so they could not 
scent him. 

He hid among the bushes. 

Slowly towards him came the herd. 

The best grass was close by the creek. 

Soon nearly a hundred of them were 
almost within a spear’s throw of the 
young hunter. 

Ab thought he could surely hit one 
among so many. 

So he sprang to his feet and drew his 
arrow to the head. 

The deer heard him and huddled to- 
gether. 

They did not know which way to run. 

Twang! went the string. 

98 



THE ARROW WHISTLED THROUGH THE AIR’ 




The arrow whistled through the air. 

It hit with a thud! — right among the 
herd. 

Away ran the herd, quick as a flash, all 
but one. 

Ab saw that one had fallen. 

He ran to it and found the arrow had 
pierced so deeply that he could see the 
flint-head on the other side of the deer. 

Ab was wild with joy. 

Old Mok was, too, when Ab told his 
story about it. 

So happy were they, that they resolved 
to keep it all a mighty secret. 

And so they did. 

Ab almost burst with his secret every 
time he saw Oak, but for a long time, he 
did not tell it. 


99 


CHAPTER XVII 
THE MAMMOTH HUNT 


One day, in late autumn, a cave man 
came running down the river bank. 

Panting for breath, he stopped at the 
cave of One-Ear. 

He had news, great news ! 

He told his story quickly. 

It was old Hilltop, and he was tired and 
hungry after his long run. 

Somebody must carry the news to the 
shell people. 

Ab seized his weapons like a flash and 
sped off bearing the joyful news. 

All the cave men and shell people were 
to come together quickly for a great hunt. 

Hilltop brought the news that a herd of 
100 


mammoth had been seen in the hills. It 
was not often that the mammoth came 
into the land of the cave men. 

So a wonderful hunt it was to be ! 

If enough men could be gathered to bring 
down just one huge mammoth, how happy 
they would be! 

There would be food in plenty for all for 
a long time. 

When Ab burst upon the shell people 
with the news, there was great excite- 
ment. 

People were running here and there 
gathering their best weapons. 

Others were choosing the bravest 
hunters. 

Within half an hour, Ab was on his way 
back. 

With him were half a hundred shell 
people, all armed. 

They soon came to the cave of Hilltop, 
101 


where the cave men and shell people were 
to meet. 

Hilltop was to be the leader in the great 
hunt, and a hundred men were ready to 
follow him. 

Ab and Oak were among the hunters, 
and how happy they were ! 

The mammoth was a monster beast, 
much bigger than our elephant and fiercer. 

He was powerful, too. 

No weapon, that the cave people had, 
would pierce his thick, tough skin. 

The huge beast cared no more for all the 
cave men with their spears than he did 
for flies. 

If a cave man troubled him he would 
seize the little man with his huge trunk. 

Then he would hurl him against a tree 
or rock and kill him. 

Or the big beast might trample a dozen 
men to death in a moment. 


102 


There was only one thing that the mam- 
moth feared, and that was fire. 

From fire the mammoth would fiee in 
terror. 

Hilltop said the herd were feeding on a 
high cliff, that had steep slopes on three 
sides. 

He said, “We will form a line of torches 
behind the herd and drive them over the 
cliff.” 

What a fine plan that was ! 

So they gathered roots of fallen pine 
trees and many pine knots. 

These would burn for hours as torches. 

Each man carried a torch and his other 
weapons. 

There were nineteen mammoth in the 
herd. 

They were still feeding near the edge of 
the steep cliff. 

All were now ready. 

103 


The torches were lighted, and the hun- 
dred men formed into a long, blazing line. 

Hilltop gave the signal, and off through 
the forest they swept. 

Soon they saw a great bull with his long, 
white tusks. 

The hunters set up a shout and rushed 
out of the woods behind the herd. 

At this the herd ran up close to the edge 
of the cliff. 

They saw they were surrounded by a line 
of fire on one side and by steep cliffs on the 
other. 

There was no way out of the trap. 

Then they charged madly upon the line 
of torches. 

The cave men shook with fear as the 
huge beasts came right at them. 

But every hunter was a brave man, and 
the burning torches stopped the herd for a 
moment. 


104 


Old Hilltop hurled his spear into the side 
of a great bull. 

With a mad roar, the beast plunged right 
through the line of fire. 

And the others followed helter-skelter. 

There was shouting of men and roaring 
of beasts. 

Three men were trampled to death. 

All the herd got away but one, that had 
been feeding alone. 

He came up too late to join the herd, 
when they broke through the line. 

So he raged madly up and down the line 
of fire. 

He was a terrible sight with his huge, 
white tusks and dark, shaggy hair ! 

His eyes flashed fire, and he raised his 
big trunk and gave a fearful roar. 

Ab thought he was as big as a mountain. 

A dozen spears struck the beast at once. 

He turned toward the cliff. 


105 


Close at his heels came the line of fire. 

The yells of the men and the roaring- of 
the mad beast echoed through the woods. 

They chased him right up to the edge of 
the cliff, but he stopped. 

One brave man went close up to the beast 
and tried to spear him in the side. 

The mammoth shot his trunk down and 
picked up the man. 

He hurled him through the air to death 
against the trunk of a big tree. 

Then, with a terrible roar, he turned on 
the men, but just then he slipped on the ice 
and fell. 

Over the cliff he rolled, with a great 
mass of snow and ice. 

Down he went— crashing through the 
treetops a hundred feet below. 

A great shout of joy was heard as the 
men looked over the cliff. 

There lay the big beast, half covered 
with snow and ice. 


106 



WITH A TERRIBLE ROAR HE TURNED ON THE MEH 





CHAPTER XVIII 
THE GREAT FEAST 

Who will reach the mammoth first ? 

Both ways around the cliff ran the 
hunters. 

Ab and Oak were bound to be first, and 
they were. 

They found the huge beast already dead 
at the base of the cliff. 

What a sight it was ! 

It was the finest prize the cave men had 
ever captured. 

One great, white tusk had been broken 
off and lay some distance from the moun- 
tain of flesh. 

'‘A feast! a feast!” they cried. 

The hunters were very much excited. 

107 


A dozen men pounced upon the broken 
tusk. 

Each man wanted it, because a mam- 
moth tusk was a great prize in every cave 
home. 

It looked as though there would be 
trouble. 

But the big tusk was finally laid aside to 
be divided later. 

All things were made ready for the feast 
on the following day. 

Swift-footed runners darted along the 
forest paths in every direction to call the 
cave and shell people to the feast. 

Everybody who could come was invited. 

But the hungry hunters could not wait. 

They must taste mammoth flesh at once. 

With big flint knives some began to take 
away the tough skin. 

This was divided among the hunters, but 
old Hilltop got the biggest share. 

108 


Some cut off long slices of meat, while 
others built fires. 

Soon the brave hunters ate their fill. 

How good it was! 

It was better than bear meat, or wild 
horse. 

Night soon came upon them. 

Some kept the fires going, while others 
lay down and slept. 

The next morning was bright and clear. 

From every direction came flocks of 
hungry men, women and children. 

A score of fires were burning, and every- 
where was the odor of broiling meat. 

The feast began early and went on hour 
after hour, as new groups came. 

The families of Oak and Ab were among 
the first to arrive. 

Bark and Beech-Leaf looked at the moun- 
tain of flesh with wide, wondering eyes. 

Then they ran quickly to Ab. 

109 


How proud they were of their big brother! 

There was queer clucking talk and 
laughing everywhere. 

Stone hammers were busy cracking the 
small bones, for the marrow was the best 
food of all. 

There was plenty of meat in every hut 
and cave for many a day. 

Ab was eating a choice bit of meat when 
he saw several girls not far away, also 
eating. 

One was slender and beautiful. 

She was the daughter of old Hilltop, and 
her name was Lightfoot. 

Ab liked her at once, and when she looked 
up he tossed her a bit of juicy meat. 

She caught it and smiled at him. 

When Ab walked home that night he 
thought “ How I should like to have Light- 
foot live in a nice cave home with me! 

“I must find a cave. 

“Perhaps she will like to come. ” 
no 





“AB TOSSED HER A BIT OF JUICY MEAT” 










CHAPTER XIX 
THE NEW CAVE HOME 


A few days after the feast of the mam- 
moth’s flesh, Ab went in search of a new 
home for himself and Lightfoot. 

He hunted far and wide to And one good 
enough to offer her. 

At last he found a fine, large cave far 
up the river. 

All about it lived many dangerous wild 
beasts. 

But did not Ab have his wonderful new 
weapon ? 

So he set to work to get it ready for his 
bride. 

At last, after many days, this fine home 
was ready for Lightfoot. 

Ill 


Now he must see her and tell her about it. 

So he set out for the cave of old Hilltop. 

As he came near the cave, he heard some 
one in a treetop. 

He looked up and saw Lightfoot. 

In a moment he was beside her on the 
limb saying, “Would you not like to go 
with me and live in a cave all our own ? ” 

‘ ‘ I should like it very much, ” said pretty 
little Lightfoot, “but every cave has some 
family in it.” 

“I know a fine cave on that high point 
far up the river,” said Ab. 

But Lightfoot said quickly, “That is 
where the cave bears and tigers live. I 
should be afraid there.” 

And then Ab said proudly, “I have a 
wonderful new weapon. 

“Nobody knows about it but Old Mok 
and me. 

“It is a bow and arrow. 


112 


‘ ‘ I can shoot straight and very far with it. 

“Once I killed a deer two spear throws 
away. 

“The arrow went quite through the 
beast. 

‘ ‘ I am sure I can kill a cave bear and even 
Sabre-Tooth with it. 

“Don’t you think we would be safe 
there?” 

Lightfoot had long wanted a cave of her 
own. 

So when she looked at strong, brave Ab 
and heard about his wonderful bow and 
arrow, she said she would go. 

Ab went to Hilltop with Lightfoot and 
said, “Lightfoot is going with me to a 
new cave on the high point. 

“I can take care of her. 

“lam strong.” 

So Hilltop watched Ab and Lightfoot 


113 


set out through the forest for their dan- 
gerous new home. 

After a long journey they reached it just 
as the sun was setting. 

How delighted Lightfoot was with her 
big cave home! 

Smoke was curling up from the fire, 
which Ab had built the day before. 

Ab rolled the great stone away from the 
entrance, and together they walked into 
their new home. 


114 


CHAPTER XX 


AB AND LIGHTFOOT AND THE CAVE 
BEARS 

The next morning Ab was glad to show 
Lightfoot his wonderful bow and arrow. 

In front of their cave was an open place. 

Farther away were some scattered trees 
and then the forest. 

They sat down on a fallen pine tree. 

Ab proudly showed her the new weapon. 

He told her of Bark and Beech-Leaf and 
the little bow. 

Then Ab pointed an arrow at a knot in 
a tree near by. 

Twang ! went the string. 

Away flew the arrow, and it hit the mark 
in the very center. 


115 


Even with all her strength, Lightfoot 
could not pull the arrow out. 

She was delighted with Ab’s new in- 
vention. 

She wanted to learn how to shoot it, too. 

Ab handed her the bow, but he still held 
the bone quiver full of Old Mok’s best 
arrows. 

He showed Lightfoot first how to bend 
and string the bow. 

Several times she failed to do it well, 
but at last she did it in a way that pleased 
her teacher. 

While Ab was choosing a fine arrow with 
a clean flint head for her first shot, they 
both suddenly heard a fierce growl close 
behind them. 

It was a great cave bear. 

Each sprang for the nearest tree. 

They had just reached the lower limbs 
when two huge brown bears sprang at them. 

116 


Ab and Lightfoot climbed quickly to the 
very treetops. 

But Lightfoot was in one tree with the 
bow, while Ab had the arrows in another 
tree. 

They had left their other weapons in 
the cave. 

At the base of each tree sat a huge 
brown bear. 

Ab and Lightfoot were safe enough 
now, but they knew the bears would not 
go away. 

If Ab only had the bow ! But he could 
not swing to Lightfoot’s tree. 

There was too great a space between. 

All day they talked to each other from 
tree to tree, and the big cave bears sat 
and waited. 

Darkness at last came on, and Ab and 
Lightfoot were hungry and tired. 

Still the bears sat and waited. 

117 


Ab could see the glare of their small, 
hungry eyes in the dark. 

So the brave pair made ready to sleep 
in the trees. 

Each plaited a rope of twigs, and with 
it they tied themselves to a limb and went 
to sleep. 

All night they slept. 

When Ab awoke he wondered where he 
was, but he quickly remembered. 

He looked anxiously across to see if his 
dear Lightfoot was still there, and there 
she was. 

Then he looked down. 

There sat those same hungry cave bears. 

He called aloud to Lightfoot. 

She awoke frightened. 

She would have fallen if she had not 
been bound to the tree. 

Ab was raging mad to think he had no 
weapon. 


118 


“Oh for a spear or a stone ax!” said he. 

At last he thought of a plan. 

“Lightfoot,” he said, “you are a brave 
girl. 

“You must do as I say, or we shall both 
starve here. 

“Crawl out upon that branch above me, 
swing down from it, swing hard, and throw 
yourself over to me. 

“I will catch you and hold you. 

“I am strong. 

“Hold fast to the bow when you 
jump.” 

It was a fearful jump, and both knew 
that if they failed, they would soon be in 
the jaws of the big cave bears. 

But they also knew it was their only 
chance. 

Poor Lightfoot was afraid, but when she 
saw her brave Ab holding out his giant 
arms, she made ready. 

119 


Ab locked his strong legs around the 
limb. 

Lightfoot walked out on the limb of her 
tree and looked over and down. 

It looked so far. 

But she quickly lowered herself beneath 
the limb. 

Back and forth she swung, farther and 
farther each time. 

With a cry she threw herself downward 
through the air. 

The cave bears saw her leap and growled 
for their breakfast. 

But right into Ab’s strong arms she 
went. 

He caught her, but could he hold on with 
his legs ? 

The limb was bending far down. 

It was cracking ! 

Ah ! but it swung back and they were 
safe. 


120 








The hungry bears gave an angry growl. 

Ah shouted for joy. 

He shook his fist at the brutes below. 

He reached toward Lightfoot for the 
bow which hung about her shoulders. 

“Follow me/’ said Ab, and they climbed 
down to the lowest limb. 

The red-eyed bears reared up, eager for 
something good to eat. 

They thought Ab and Lightfoot would 
make a fine breakfast. 

Ab took his best and strongest arrow. 

He fitted it to the string. 

Then he put one foot down and waved 
it to tease the angry beasts. 

They roared aloud and tore the bark 
with their big claws. 

Ab drew back the arrow as far as he 
could bend the strong bow. 

Twang ! and the biggest bear fell back 
upon the ground, shot through the neck. 

121 


He got up blind and dizzy. 

With a howl of pain he crawled away 
toward Ab’s cave to find a place to die. 

Again Ab chose his best arrow. 

He drew back with all his might, took 
aim at the other bear and shot. 

The arrow only buried itself in the great 
brute’s shoulder. 

The beast was badly hurt, and her awful 
roaring echoed through the forest. 

Still she raged about the tree. 

Again and again Ab shot his best arrows. 

Each time the arrow drove deeply into 
the fierce beast, but she was as strong as 
ever. She fairly bristled with arrows, but 
still she lived. 

Ab knew that the bear would die, but 
they would have to wait awhile. 

“What a wonderful weapon your bow 
and arrow is!” said Lightfoot. 

“See what it has done for us to-day.” 

122 


CHAPTER XXI 

AB AND LIGHTFOOT SAVED BY FIRE 

The bear kept tearing off the bark of 
the tree in its rage. 

She gnawed and split off great slivers. 

‘T am glad the trunk is thick”, said 
Lightfoot. 

After a time the bear began to grow 
weaker. 

Her roars changed into growls as she 
staggered about. 

At last she started blindly for the for- 
est to die. 

Before she had gone far, she grew dizzy 
and fell over heavily. She was dead. 

As the bear toppled over Ab gave a 
whoop and slid lightly to the ground. 

123 


Lightfoot followed him. 

It was very good to be upon the ground 
again. 

Ab stamped with his feet, and Lightfoot 
danced upon the grass in glee. 

But this was only for a moment, for Ab 
knew that other beasts were lurking about 
in search of food. 

It was only the growls of the huge cave 
bears, that kept the other animals away. 

Now, since the bear had ceased roaring, 
other beasts would soon be upon them. 

So Ab started for the cave. 

As he reached its entrance, he gave a 
strange cry. Lightfoot ran to his side. 

They saw the doorway of the cave 
blocked up tightly by the huge body of the 
bear. 

He had tried to crawl into a dark place 
to die and had got fast in the doorway of 
the cave. 


124 


He had wedged himself in so tightly 
that his dead body filled the rocky en- 
trance. 

Ab and Lightf oot were badly frightened, 
because they could not pull the big beast 
out, nor was there room to get by him. 

Homeless with all their arrows gone! 

Hungry, too! 

They had not tasted food for many hours. 

Just then they heard a sharp, snapping 
growl at the edge of the forest. 

Lurking hyenas had found the she-bear. 

From another direction came the howl 
of wolves that scented food. 

What should they do ? 

There was no time to waste. 

They could not get into the cave, nor 
could they get back among the trees. 

Ab seized a stout limb for a club. 

Turning to Lightfoot who shook with 
fear, he said only the word “Fire.” 

125 


She understood that she must start a fire, 
while Ah kept guard with only a club. 

Nobody in all the country could start a 
fire more swiftly than she. 

She had no matches— no flint and steel — 
no coals. 

How then could poor Lightfoot make a 
fire? She knew how. 

Her quick eye saw two small pieces of 
wood. 

One was flat and very dry and crumbly. 

It would take fire quickly if it were 
made very hot. 

The other stick was pointed and very 
hard. 

Lightfoot sat down upon the ground. 

She took the pointed hard stick and be- 
gan twirling it very, very fast upon the 
flat crumbly wood. 

So fast was the twirling that you could 
scarcely see the whirling stick. 

126 


Meantime Ab with ready club in hand, 
crept near where the she-bear lay. 

He stopped when he came near enough 
to see what was happening. 

Four great hyenas were tearing hungri- 
ly at the flesh of the dead brute. 

Behind them deep in the wood, Ab saw 
the shining eyes of the wolf pack. 

He knew that when the bear was eaten, 
the hyenas would come for him and Light- 
foot. 

So he crept back to find Lightfoot still 
madly twirling the hard stick upon the 
soft crumbly wood. 

“It is very hot now”, said Lightfoot. 
“Twirl as fast as you can”, said Ab, “We 
must have fire soon, or be eaten alive.” 

Just then a tiny thread of smoke arose 
from the soft, hot wood. 

Ab ran to Lightfoot with dry crumbs of 
wood. 


127 


He sprinkled them over the hot, smok- 
ing stick, and a little flame of fire burst 
out. 

“,We are saved!” cried Ab, 

Dry twigs were quickly piled upon the 
flame. 

“We must make a wall of fire around 
our cave. ” said Ab. 

Oh, how quickly he and Lightfoot 
touched fire to the fallen pine tree in 
many places! 

They pulled dead branches from it and 
piled them at the ends of the fallen 
tree. 

The wall was made. 

Just then they heard the terrible sound 
of wolves fighting with the hyenas. 

The wolves were battling for the bear 
meat. 

The ring of fire would keep off all 
beasts for a time, and Ab and Lightfoot 
128 


breathed easier, but they were weak with 
hunger. 

“There is meat,” said Ab, pointing to 
the big bear in the cave door, “and there 
is fire. We will eat.” 

He put his hand to his belt for his sharp 
flint knife, but it was not there. 

It had been lost in the tree climbing. 

He found only a flint scraper. 

It was a very poor knife, but Ab must 
make it do. 

With it his strong arms tore away the 
tough skin of the bear. Then strip after 
strip of flesh, he scraped and pulled away. 

He tossed them to poor, hungry Light- 
foot. 

She did not wait to cook it because she 
was nearly starved. 

Soon she felt stronger. 

She told Ab to feed the fire while she 
cut meat for him. 


129 


He ate as she had done. 

A tiny rill of cold water trickled down 
over the rocks near the cave door. 

From this they quenched their thirst 
and then ate more and more. 

Darkness came on, and they slept and 
fed the fire by turns. 

They could hear growls and snarling 
sounds in the forest all night. 

There were hungry things out there 
that wanted to eat a man and woman, 
but they feared the fire. 

Morning came, and the sounds from the 
forest died away partly, but Ab knew the 
fierce animals were still there. 

Day after day they dug away at the 
meat from the huge bear. 

But the ring of fire was always kept 
burning brightly. 

On the sixth day the passage was open 
so they could enter their home again. 


How delighted they were and how tired 
of bear meat ! 

Ah would not soon leave the cave again 
without every weapon he might need. 

That night poor Lightfoot had horrible 
dreams. 

She dreamed that she was again flying 
through the air toward Ab, but that she 
had missed him and was falling into the 
mouths of those awful bears. 

Then she screamed terribly and Ab 
awoke frightened. 

He quieted his brave little wife. 

Now she slept again and again she 
dreamed, but this time it was a good 
dream. 

She saw the fire god driving away all 
the wild beasts, while Ab and Old Mok 
were turning a whole forest into the finest 
bows and arrows. 


131 


CHAPTER XXII 
THE FIRE COUNTRY 


The sun rose bright next morning; and 
when Ab rolled the big stone away and 
came out past the fire, everything looked 
beautiful. 

Not a trace was left of the big bear. 

Even its bones had been dragged into 
the forest by the hungry beasts. 

“The animals are gone. We are safe, 
now”, said Lightfoot. 

“Just for a while”, said Ab. 

“Do you not hear the rustling in the 
forest ? 

“We need to be very watchful when we 
leave our cave. 

“We must never be careless here again.” 

132 


Ab and Lightfoot lived happily in the 
cave for many months. 

The forest was full of game, and so 
meat was plentiful. 

Ab had many chances to use his weapon. 

He taught Lightfoot how to shoot with 
the bow and arrow. 

She soon became a fine shot. 

She could not send an arrow so far as 
Ab, but she could hit a smaller mark. 

So she was the better bird hunter. 

She brought down grouse and other 
birds, which made delicious eating. 

Lightfoot was a rare climber when some 
bird’s nest was found far out on a branch. 

Roasted bird’s eggs made fine food. 

She knew where to find nuts, and along 
the river’s bank she dug clams out of the 
mud with her toes. 

Ab never had so many good things to 
eat before. 


133 


He taught her how to chip flint to make 
spearheads and arrow points. 

She could soon make finer ones than he 
could. 

Sometimes Old Mok would be rowed up 
the river by Bark, who was now a sturdy 
lad. 

Old Mok and Lightfoot became great 
friends. 

He taught her how to make the best 
arrow points and how to set traps. 

Before long Lightfoot knew ever so 
much more about arrows than Ab. 

But Ab was very glad, for he needed the 
best arrows that could be made to keep 
off wolf packs and cave bears and hyenas. 

Those daring animals crept up to their 
cave home every night. 

How many blazing eyes they saw as Ab 
and Lightfoot peeked out between the 
heaped rocks at the mouth of their cave ! 

134 


What low growls and angry snarls they 
listened to each night! 

Even when all was quiet in the darkness, 
soft padded feet told them they were in 
the forest where the fiercest beasts lived. 

Ah was afraid that some day both he 
and Lightfoot would be killed in this dan- 
gerous region. 

One day Ah wandered far from home 
and did not know where he was. 

Darkness came upon him when he was 
far out on a treeless plain. 

A pack of hungry wolves chased him 
many miles. 

His arrows were all used. 

There was no tree to be seen. 

The howling pack was close upon him. 

At last he saw a light and ran toward it 
as fast as his tired legs could carry him. 

It was a great wall of fire and he ran 
straight to it. 


135 


Just as the hungry wolves were about to 
snatch his heels, he leaped high through 
the flames. The wolves did not follow. 

They ran up and down the line of fire 
raging for their prey. 

Ab looked about and saw he was safe, 
though he was slightly burned as he dashed 
over the yellow flames. 

He shouted and laughed and threw 
stones through the Are at the snarling 
wolves. 

A few minutes later, tired Ab lay asleep 
near the flames. 

When he awoke he found himself sur- 
rounded by a wall of Are on one side and 
by a great steep cliff on the other. 

Where was he ? 

At last he remembered the Fire Country 
of which Old Mok had told him. 

The wall of fire was blazing up along a 
great crack in the earth. 

136 





LEAPED HIGH THROUGH THE FLAMES” 


“HE 










V;;, ‘ ' •. . - .V-.. f f 

:.vrA< . , 

' • /. ■ -i 


» *• 




r ■ 

^ '.'i' ■■■ f‘s 


' i ■:^, v^v ■vfwv/i-'T r . • 


1 :> c i w'»Wft Ti i W » • • T ^ ’ 

W^U' •, 7 ;':' •• •-■' ,, :\J: y-i ' .,.. - 

■*■ .,' « >>• 1 li — ^“*|f.-'^. ’ ' ,• * (^ ' 

•* \i * » ' ^ ^ - r 'i ♦»«. 




i# 

•r ' : ■ • > 





- J ■> '^^ - 


•-M 


>« 


.; v^. 





Ci" 


< .Wi-' 





• ■■'*;? / 


■Y 




- U* .r ■ ,• - 

:\l . ^3SJ ,** ■ 

■ -- - ' »* 1 ^ •' 

A- ?• w .' ■• ' 


% 

• \ 








;.w:' 


■ ; ■■"• ’ 
■ 1 . '“'^M 

IT ^ t 


■ - % 





. : • ' 

• ■-■ 4 i/‘ . 

< '. . , a wk'^ • -^- - 


. il'*’ 

’ - ..• •’• - 4 ^". . * i 


- m 


r • • • * ' i;.' ■' • 

»«'•.•.// '' :• (. 


I A,-- 


« » - « . . ^ » *■ 3 f • * ,*T . » . ' ,, ' JNs •'v. / M 


•sT'A- ■•■ .. . . , i,sr. ■; V-' _• • ._ 


' IV 

• . •‘I «• 



.- ■</’•' ' .'V''f';: , 

t*- ’ * \ .r- * ,*f 





f s.' . ^ - . ,3. .;•;.... • ■-■' '• k. ■ ^ * 

• ‘-v ■-• V/^^/ • .I" . • 4 • ■ ;:. . 









. > • ■' • <' / , r 




*.% • 


f . 







.r 


j 


■'v^' ' 




; ” ^ 


X •; Vi 




< * . I 

- r/ 




• « 


& j;. iO'sif 


.'‘M .■' 


. r ♦ 


i¥.-d 


- V \,'y: V 

• -/.i -i 

;■ 


I' - y 






’i 





From it came a sheet of gas, which was 
always burning. 

But Ah was hungry, and he saw no way 
to escape from this Fire Country. 

He ran up and down the valley and all 
around the long wall . of fire and the 
cliff. 

At last he found a place where the cliff 
was not quite so steep. 

He clambered up into the forest above 
and soon found nuts for food. 

From what Old Mok had told him many 
years before. Ah knew how to find his 
cave home. 

He found Lightfoot safe there, but she 
feared that her brave Ab had been eaten 
by the beasts. 

She screamed for joy as she sav/ him 
coming home. 

Ab was glad, too, for he threw his arms 
about Lightfoot and kissed her. 

137 


She told Ah she had stayed close at 
home. 

When the beasts came sniffing about the 
cave at night, she shot arrows out at 
them. 

Sometimes she hit them, and they 
howled with pain. 

“It is dreadful,” said Lightfoot, “to 
have a home among the wild beasts. 

“Every day when you are late, I fear a 
bear or tiger has eaten you. 

“Let us go somewhere else to live. ” 

“All right,” said Ab, “we will make 
our home in the Fire Valley. ” 

Then he told her about the Fire Country 
and how safe and happy they might be 
there. 

“Are there any caves?” asked Light- 
foot. 

“No, ” said Ab, “but there is an open- 
ing under a great cliff. 

138 


“We can make it do for a cave, but we 
can be warm and safe without one. 

“We shall not need a cave in the Fire 
Country, ” said Ab. 

“Our children can play outside and be 
safe. 

“We shall not need to carry weapons 
even, for no wild beasts can get into the 
Fire Valley. 

“It will be easy to start our fires, too, 
for that wall of fire is always burning day 
and night. 

“Perhaps we can learn to catch fish 
from the river as the shell people do,” 
said Ab. 

And Lightfoot was glad to go. 


139 


CHAPTER XXIIL 
AB’S NEW HOME. 

Ab and Lightfoot were safe and happy 
in the Fire Valley. Ab quickly dug his 
cave in the soft rock cliff. 

Soon Old Mok, who loved Ab as a son, 
came to live in the Fire Valley. 

So a cave was dug for him where he 
could chip his arrows and spearheads and 
be happy. There was room for many cave 
families here. 

Soon One-Ear and his whole family of 
six sons and four daughters came. 

Then old Hilltop also moved his family 
of twelve big sons and daughters. 

After a time there were many caves in 
the cliff, dug out as Ab had done. 


One warm summer a flood came, and 
the water got into Ab’s cave. 

So he propped some long poles against 
the rock outside and covered them with 
bark. 

This was a good shelter from rain and 
from the sun, too. 

They liked their new house. 

It was cool and airy. 

Ab said, “I’ll never sleep in a dark cave 
again.” 

Other cave families built houses like Ab’s. 

Old Mok shook his head and asked Ab 
what he would do when cold winter came. 

“I’ll make my house warm by more 
bark and skins”, said Ab. 

“I’ll never leave my warm cave for an 
old shack like yours”, said Mok. 

And he never did. 

He said he could not sleep in such a light 
place. 


141 


But all the young men built homes like 
Ab’s and never went back to the caves, 

“I should not like to go back to the old 
forest again to live”, said Ab one day. 

“How plentiful the fowl are in this 
forest ! 

“We can shoot them so easily here. 

“And we are all so safe behind the wall 
of fire.” 

“And we could never get such nuts 
there as we get here ”, said the children. 

For Ab and Lightfoot had three sturdy 
little boys in their home now. 

“And, Oh the sweet honey !” said Light- 
foot, who was the best honey gatherer 
because she could climb so well. 

With Old Mok’s fine arrows and bows, 
Ab and old Hilltop did many daring things. 

They made it so unpleasant for even the 
fiercest animals that they went farther 
off to live. 


142 


Even Sabre-Tooth, the tiger, was glad 
to find a home far away from the brave 
hunters. 

His roar was not often heard any more. 

One day Ah went into Old Mok’s cave, 
grumbling. 

“I shot an arrow into a great deer ”, he 
said, “and I was close and shot hard, but 
the beast ran before he fell. 

“So we had to carry the meat a long 
way. 

“I tore the arrow from him and saw 
that it had not gone half way in. 

“I think it was because the arrow-head 
had ragged edges. 

“How can a man drive deeply an arrow 
with such rough edges ? 

“ Are you getting too old to make good 
arrows, Mok?” 

The crippled old arrow-maker fumed a 
little. 


143 


But he said to himself, “Ah certainly 
must have good arrows ! 

“How can I make them better?’’ 

The next day Old Mok sat on the river 
bank looking at some smooth stones in the 
water. 

“These stones must grind each other 
smooth”, thought Mok. 

“I’ll try to grind the arrow-heads 
smooth.” 

So he took from the water a piece of 
sandstone. 

With this he began rubbing an arrow- 
head. 

It was very slow work, but Old Mok 
kept at it, and the chipped flint was get- 
ting a little smoother. 

For two long days Old Mok worked 
hard. 

Then he gave to Ab an arrow whose 
edges were wonderfully smooth and sharp. 

144 


“Try my new ground arrow”, said Mok. 

How delighted Ab was ! 

He seized the arrow and drew it back 
in his big bow. 

Then he took aim at an oak tree and 
shot. 

The arrow buried itself far in the hard 
oak, and the woods rang with the joyful 
shouts of the cave men. 

“With a ground arrow like that I be- 
lieve I could kill even the tough-skinned 
rhinoceros,” said Ab; “it is the finest 
weapon in the world. ” 

All the hunters gathered about Old Mok. 

Everybody now wanted smooth arrow- 
heads, and Mok could not finish enough. 

The cave men ground all their stone 
weapons smooth after this. 


145 


CHAPTER XXIV 

SABRE-TOOTH AMONG THE 
SHELL PEOPLE 


One day at noon a runner burst panting 
into the Fire valley. 

The flesh was torn from his cheek and 
one arm, and he staggered from his hurt 
and his long run. 

The cave men ran to him and asked 
what the trouble was, but he only called 
out “Ab! Ab!” and pitched forward on 
the ground. 

Ab came quickly, and the runner could 
only gasp, “Big Tiger!” 

But everybody knew what he meant, and 
they ran to the gateway of the valley and 
raised a wall of stone. 

146 


Then when the runner’s mind came back, 
he told his story. 

He said, “Our shell people were making 
merry after a day of good fishing, when 
just at dusk there was a terrible roar. 

“A powerful cave tiger leaped among 
us, seized a man and bounded away in the 
darkness. 

“The poor man yelled and shrieked piti- 
fully, but we could not save him. 

“We seized our weapons and started 
after the monster. 

“All night long we bravely searched the 
dark forest. 

“At daybreak we found what was left 
of the poor man in a pathway in the forest. 

“From a clump of bushes close by came 
a fierce growl. 

“The tiger sprang out and our men fled. 

“I alone stood my ground,” said the 
brave runner. 


147 


“The tiger’s paw struck me on the face 
as I dodged behind a tree and ran. 

“Sabre-Tooth was not hungry, and so he 
did not follow me. ” 

Everybody shuddered at the name of 
Sabre-Tooth. 

But Ab said, “We will help you. 

“This monster must be slain.” 

Soon a dozen stalwart cave men, with 
bows and spears, set out for the country 
of the shell men. 

They saw not a single animal in all the 
forest, as they went. 

Every beast, but the rhinoceros and 
mammoth, fled from Sabre-Tooth as from 
Are. 

At mid-day Ab and his men reached 
the shell men’s village, and this was what 
they heard. 

“The tiger has come again ! 

“He swept among us again this morn- 

148 


ing, and with a terrible roar he snatched 
our finest woman and bounded away ! ” 

The shell men were too frightened to 
follow the awful beast this time. 

How glad they were to see Ab ! 

They thought he might kill Sabre-Tooth 
with his big bow and arrow. 

Ab found more people in the village 
than he had ever seen there before. 

They had sent a messenger to the East- 
ern cave people also, and a score of 
mighty hunters had come under their 
leader, Boarface. 

Now Boarface was jealous of Ab’s great 
name because of the bow and arrow. 

So he was cold toward Ab, but he was 
willing to join Ab's men and help kill 
Sabre-Tooth. 

The shell men and the cave men held a 
council to decide upon a plan. 

Every man took his best weapons and 

149 


formed a line of bristling spears and start- 
ed for the forest. 

Upon the forest path they found a part 
of the woman’s body, but no beast was 
to be seen. 

“The tiger must be sleeping, ” they said. 

The hunters talked over plans. 

They decided it was safer to trap the 
beast than to fight him in the open. 

But who could think of a trap that would 
hold Sabre-Tooth? 

How could they get him into a trap any- 
way? 

At last Ab said, “I think I can trap 
Sabre-Tooth, if you will all help.” 

“We will all help,” shouted the brave 
hunters. 

“Then, ” said Ab, “do as I bid you. ” 


150 


CHAPTER XXV 
SABRE-TOOTH SLAIN 

Ab and his men had brought what they 
might need to kill Sabre-Tooth. 

They had two great, tough hides of the 
urus and strips of thick rhinoceros hide. 

They also had a great spear shaft fifteen 
feet long, and as thick as a man’s arm. 

Its head was a blade of the hardest flint, 
but this huge spear was too heavy for a 
man to hurl. 

“What can such a monster weapon be 
for ? ” said the men as they watched Ab 
climb a tree and crawl out on a big limb. 

He took a pebble and dropped it and 
watched where it hit the ground. 

“Bring what is left of the poor woman’s 
151 


body to this place under this limb”, said 
Ab. “Place it right where the pebble hit 
the ground”. 

Just then came a fearful roar. 

The tiger was very near, and his keen 
nose had scented the men. 

Everybody fled for his life but Ab and 
old Hilltop and Boarface, and a few others. 

There was swift work to be done, for 
Sabre-Tooth might come at any moment. 

They quickly put the body over the peb- 
ble. 

Ab shouted to old Hilltop, “Bring me 
the big spear and the urus hides ! ” 

Hilltop was up the tree in a flash. 

“Now tie the urus hides to the spear 
shaft just below the middle. 

“Help me tie the spear to this limb with 
these tough thongs. 

“Boarface, bring stones to fill the bags 
of urus hides, ” shouted Ab. 

152 


Boarface and his few helpers scurried 
about and carried loads of stones up to Ah 
as fast as they could. 

“Be quick or we will be caught in this 
tree,” said Ab. 

Now the great spear hung downward, 
with two big bags of stone tied to it. 

Suddenly there came from the forest 
another roar! 

Nearer and nearer came the terrible 
Sabre-Tooth! 

All the men fled but Ab and Hilltop and 
Boarface. 

“One man can do the rest,” said Ab and 
he forced them to go, too. 

There sat Ab all alone on the big limb 
with his sharp flint knife ready to cut the 
thongs that held the huge spear. 

The great beast with fearful claws and 
padded feet was coming back to dine on 
what he had left in the morning. 

153 


Along the path came the tiger, and Ah 
gripped the limb firmly. 

The beast was so huge and so terrible 
to look upon! 

His great head moved slowly from side 
to side. 

His eyes blazed up and down the path, 
as the monster cat came creeping toward 
the body. 

He came into the sunlight; and the big, 
rich stripes shone beautifully. 

He was as splended as he was dreadful. 

The beast squatted down to his dinner 
right below Ab and the big spear. 

Ab pressed his sharp flint knife back 
and forth noiselessly upon the tight raw- 
hide. 

Suddenly the thong was cut, and the 
heavy-weighted spear fell like lightning. 

The flint head struck Sabre-Tooth square- 
ly between the shoulders 
154 



‘THE HEAVY-WEIGHTED SPEAR FELL LIKE LIGHTNING 
AND PINNED SABRE-TOOTH TO THE GROUND” 





r . * 


r. 


. . 'v 

* ^•'.. .\ ' 


,r • 



■ - ^ ' '4-^ 

' ‘ . {•r:- ■ - ^ V, 

'.'•A' '.; * • \'. ^•■V r^' V i*< 

>> ^ "*’ “'*■ .v**- 




r- 


'A 


'» 


' V 


- ’* 

.t. 


■ ^;< V- ' 





I -;x <• ,. ■/’. •■ . .' . ^ 

-^ ■ '■ ''-■ 

'.T ‘. = . 


^KrV •' V’*'^ •' ••-'• ■ 

r . .>,•*■'• 


A •'i! 

‘'"‘7 


r 




•. /. 


■'S' 

I . 


ff 


’ .V * . 

* ^ ' 




f -M. *4 »j 

^ '.' ' ''v .*■ > ■' ? > . *♦ > ^ i 


’ i . 




t 


wi ' . ' ^ ^ ,''**• 


M. 


; u -* 


^ 4 


. - , r 


•:A'' 








> •> 
j *j ‘ 

< J f • .< V ♦■ 



'•» 




r 


• *. ‘ -^1 ** ^ • 


IP. ^ , I / • • -J 

'♦ - S 

5 ‘>'‘ . ' • • 

‘j ">< V 

T ’ . ' ; »* 

V* ■‘•-'irV' . •'»,-•,■•; .■’T s/i . ' 


V . 






f 


S) 


,< 



> 


v:r^'S> .^' > ;.,S .>'^V^i.\ 


» 



‘1 

’£.•*■ ' ’•■'• w . ^ 

UMi ' * < . ' . A 









.'I 


* 9 


A > 


"Or 


A^; • < ■ •• #4 




♦ x , _ ijt ' 


» ■ 


r» . 

•X r 


> >. 




♦* A 


''i.'Js 




f 




' J 






• - * '•A/ • . 


4'VS|lr''"*-'-;i«. . 

.» .-AlftV' 'If* T.* • 


-i , ' \ 

rr^ 


■; i--,u;iiJr 
*• J >A. i'i 



V ■' ' ' .'Tp-V a 

• * ' .• ‘ ' * '**■/> -■“. '■ • 1 \ fcj 


f . 


• \ \ y ' '.-VWA* •, ■ Vf . - . 

•■ ' 'XvvV ' ''■' ■ 

^4.-;, rv^‘.r;^4ifc^la3 •• 




4 « 1 


• ^ '■* ., J- " ' * •' ^ ^ p 

i- * ^'- •■' ,*• ‘< ' 

■ ' . *■* i • • ' _v »/>/* 

• « •<V»- i*f>* . * 1 ^ , • . 


-f 

.• » 


. 'A 

i 


•/ 
t t 




. M * , •- • * 


"■ U , ' 

»|S. * 


-,■ ; '-v -^*.- ••'■‘I.'’. *' 

... • ,T . '•.*'»»-• 

/v.- ■ .••.■' 


• » 4 



.U 

f 

> 


' _• . ' • 

r • ;> • 

* '■ 

*■ • 

»•* • !-• • • 

. ' -pJ ‘ 

. *■• 

A 

• A. * • i 


: . ••^■54,, 

‘ . • 'i 


*• * •*r> A 

i . .y 'n 

• •>* ' *r • y 

.’. - •'.♦*■ 

* . f j.» •.**• •' 


• . • •, » 

f • i- P . - -. 

• . • < y 




. t .- -r 


> « 




‘. ' X 










?•' 'p^.. 



V ‘^4' ' 


^ ■:■:■■ -h 


. ' K 

• - ' • * . 

V ‘ 1 ' p 




•H. 




.V'^U -r*' 


,t . • A 


I • 


.■;v*' 


S'V " 


s . . 

^ I 
«, 


- ' X,' . . ‘ T ' S ■'* V. '.V** %? ‘ 

»■,!*.. ■ jt' * j / '*• . p ^ -i!- A( .*•' •* 1. Ar *▼ 

'•'•»^ - . f V., . V. /••• ‘ '’V'. 

• • T . 4*' " • ' • A ►* % 


* , I ■ J JL . *■ * • *>. 






V 4 




'X 

U ■* ' > ' 


V 


V. .' 




! W 


. /V ‘.'v V, 

• v'aV, 




KZ 


■ :j':< A'o';' ■s-a-r 5 ‘i • ••^ 4 ^ - <• 

.. iRCpiKpira' ■•/ ':?•■■ ■ ; '.■. Jr;-, p&i'ri’ - .• ■>'-.;i®.> j-. <■ -■' .-■i' ■..sKs 



1 




It passed right through the monster 
beast and pinned him to the ground. 

Such fearful roaring there was! 

How glad the hunters were as they 
heard it echoing through the forest. 

They hurried back, and there lay the 
great tiger still, and Ab was stripping 
from the huge body the glorious robe it 
wore. And then such joyful shouting you 
never heard! 

The shell men were wild with joy. 

They shouted, .clapped their hands and 
rolled on the ground. 

“Who killed Sabre-Tooth?” cried one; 
and a hundred men shouted, “Ab! Ab! 
Ab!” 

Ab called upon old Hilltop to help him, 
and soon the wonderful skin of the tiger 
was stretched out upon the ground. 

“I will have half of it,” declared Boar- 
face, as he shook his fist at Ab. 

155 


“It shall not be cut/' replied Ab fiercely. 

“It is mine. I killed the tiger.” 

“I helped,” said Boarface. 

“So did we,” said Old Hilltop, “but Ab 
planned it.” 

Both sides seized their stone axes, and 
there was almost a deadly battle over Sabre- 
Tooth's beautiful coat. 

But it was at last given to Ab, and Boar- 
face and his men went home very angry. 


156 


/ 


CHAPTER XXVI 

THE CAVE MEN CHOOSE A CHIEF 

When Boarface and the Eastern cave 
men heard what snug homes were in the 
Fire Valley they said, “Let us drive out 
One-Ear and old Hilltop and their people, 
and Ab, too. 

“He robbed us of Sabre-Tooth’s coat.” 

So Boarface gathered his warriors to- 
gether. 

He wanted to surprise old Hilltop and 
Ab, but a friendly shell man ran to the 
Fire Valley with the news. 

Old Hilltop quickly called all the men of 
his village to meet in his cave. 

Here came the mighty hunters, each 
with his best weapons. 

157 


They crowded into the cave with much 
noise. 

Old Hilltop bade them sit down on the 
cave floor. 

Then he told them that Boarface was 
coming with his warriors to drive them 
from their homes. 

“Cave men,” said he, “what shall we 
do? 

“Shall we yield like women or shall we 
fight ? ” 

Then such yelling you never heard ! 

“Let us fight ! ” they cried. 

“Let Boarface come on ! ” 

After awhile the noise quieted, and One- 
Ear stood up and spoke. 

“Men of the Fire Valley,” he said, “We 
are few in number, while Boarface has 
many warriors. 

“If we mean to fight we must choose a 
chief and we must obey him. 

158 


‘‘We can’t beat Boarface without a 
chief. 

“When we form a line to hunt each man 
wants to be head of the line; and while we 
dispute, the animals all get away. 

“If we do that way when Boarface 
comes, we will all be dead men. 

“Let us choose a chief who is wise and 
strong and brave, and then obey him.” 

Then Ab arose. 

“Father One-Ear is righi and what he 
spoke is true, ” said Ab. 

“Now old Hilltop is a brave and famous 
hunter. 

“He led us in the mammoth hunt, and 
that was a glorious day. 

“He has fought alone with the fiercest 
of beasts. “He helped kill Sabre-Tooth 
while others ran away. 

“Surely,” said Ab, “we will all be glad 
to obey and follow him as our leader. 

159 


“Let us then make old Hilltop chief, 
and we will hold our valley against Boar- 
face as long as the stars shine.” 

Many cave men cheered these words of 
Ah. 

Then arose Old Mok, crippled and 
bent. 

“Cave men,” said he. “I am not a 
great fighter as you know, but I think I 
know who ought to be our chief. 

“We need a younger man than old Hill- 
top. 

“We ought to choose the greatest of all 
cave men. 

“Who made the biggest kettle in all 
the world ? ” 

Everybody cried, “ Ab ! ” 

“Who invented the greatest weapon 
that cave men ever saw ? ” 

And everybody shouted “Ab! Ab!” 

“Who was brave enough to live on that 
160 


rocky point among the cave bear and 
Sabre-Tooth? 

“Ab! Ab! Ab!” said all the cave men. 

“Who pinned Sabre-Tooth to the ground 
with the big spear?” 

And again they waved their arms, 
clapped their hands and shouted, Ab! 
Ab! Ab!” 

“Then,” said Old Mok, “Ab must be 
our chief.” 


161 


CHAPTER XXVII 
AB AND BOARFACE IN BATTLE 

Ab told the Fire clan to get ready for 
battle. 

They were glad to obey their brave 
chief, and each man was soon sorting 
arrows and tightening bows. 

Old Hilltop looked carefully over his big 
spears. 

He would never give up his spears for 
the bow and arrow. 

One-Ear looked over his big stone ax. 

Old Mok went into his cave and stayed 
there. 

What he was working at, no one knew. 

The Fire clan was not large, but it had 
a score of mighty warriors. 

162 


Ab was a wise and brave chief, but 
Boarface had two men to his one. 

Still Ab’s men were helped by the wall 
of fire. 

Then there was the bow and arrow, 
with which Lightfoot could shoot so well. 

If Boarface and his men would only 
stand off, Ab’s warriors could soon shoot 
them down with arrows; but everybody 
knew that Boarface would rush right up 
close to fight with spears and stone 
axes. 

So Ab told his men to shoot with the 
bows until Boarface came close, and then 
to grab their spears and axes. 

There was a high shelf of rock near the 
gateway. 

On this high rock Lightfoot stood with 
a bundle of arrows. 

Hilltop and Chief Ab and a dozen brave 
followers stood on the stone wall with 


163 


bows and arrows in hand and with spears 
and axes close by. 

As Boarface’s men came rushing up to 
the wall, Lightfoot’s arrows sang through 
the air. 

Each arrow struck down one of Boar- 
face’s big fighters, and he never got up 
again. 

As Boarface saw his men fall, he cursed 
the arrows of Ab. 

But he could spare some men, for he had 
so many. 

His warriors climbed up the wall only 
to be beaten back by the great blows of 
Ab and Hilltop. 

Sometimes two brave men of Boarface 
would jump at Ab together with their 
huge stone axes. 

But every time one of Lightfoot’s swift 
arrows struck down one, while Ab’s strong 
arm killed the other. 


164 


Boarface and Ab were seeking each 
other, and at last they came together. 

These giants drew back their huge stone 
axes and struck what might have been a 
death blow for both. 

But the axes came together with a 
crash, and the handle of Ab’s ax was 
broken. 

A moment more and Boarface would 
surely have killed Ab. 

But Lightfoot’s sharp eyes saw the 
fight, and her well-aimed arrow laid Boar- 
face dead upon the wall the next instant. 

Ab’s men gave a great shout as Boar- 
face fell. The fighting went on. 

The last arrows were shot, when Old 
Mok came from his cave tugging a great 
armful. 

The air buzzed again with arrows. 

But no one could take Boarface’s place 
as leader, and so his men fied. 

165 


Ab led his men in close pursuit. 

They drove what was left of Boarface’s 
warriors, into a cave and blocked it up. 

They were going to starve them. 

“Why not let them live and work for 
us ? ” said Old Mok. 

“That is better,” said Ab, “we will 
make them our slaves. ” 

And now there was peace in the Fire 
Valley. 

For many long years Ab’s clan lived and 
prospered there. 

The Fire clan had many great chiefs, 
but they never had another so great as Ab. 


166 


* t • 

J V 






/ 


*'•*'*^. 


\ 

% ' ' ' 


^v. ;.. .:.vV 



fii A” 




»i »'^i.- 


h'¥i-: 




r- 




r‘'' 


^ \ 


t;‘ 


h rr' ,. »Y< ^ 

‘ .v ■; ^ 







> ? -.S' , ' f.- ^ 

4 I - ^-1 ‘J- " * 


J . 


« • 


T- 



m 


. 


^T;v- , 

IN 


» » 

:V:^ 

• '* ' -V5 

>• 

■ ^• 


• (V k? , ‘ ; \, :% •■ . •' ^‘ly' 

,'J^ 7'-:^;' : •. ,V . -V 

»-,f ' '» . . * *'T( . •> > . “t^ ' , ' • ' ' K .Ji . 

, . » • ' •■■ . •• • \ . ? . '•> , ^ . •• , .,\- ’ 4 W 


V 


\ 


s 


'■y' 


■ *' . . . '' '■ • J ^ • .t- V • . < 4 €fi 




'i 


.» 


-•■'V' ■ • . ' 

U ' A 

■. r 


I* ' ' • *. 


. 1 ^. 


/•. 


» * ' »' 


/ ; • •'. 

i V- 


■ ■ 

# 


«. ^ 



. j >, 


;r * 


•* »' ^ 




5 


■* 




•'/i 




; 






:■ x^. :. 

- • <_. :. ' 


i \ 


' i 


y 


vf 


V 




I V. ■ -.f o. ■^- A*'. 

!■> iiniiiiiiii'''''' - 



M ,■* • ' 

«>.• • r •<• 


> ; \ 


y- 


r; ' 




. I 


,...-*; v^. 


•*. riv. '-. ,* 

-• i-'V*’ i ^ • .> 

. ^ ■,/ ' L/ • » 




. » 


( . 


i . 


tV • 

' '% 




% L 


■ f ' 


» , 


^ t r • 

. * 

•’• -y>'. .i^' i ; '•'^' 


■.X\ 

*,*. ^ ^ / -.j'l jfiw!! 


« ^ • 
— % r ^ < 


< . 

>• 




• # 


- 4 .' . 


1*1 • • •» •.</’* 




•• > 

.<1 ' 


■■Cl. 

i 


V 




«*• 


■K. 


• V.*.,v. • , '* 
y* Lf^ ^ • 

’ i v‘ 


V. * 

/ 

•^1 . 


'A 

t 


u 




yW :<y»^, '' - ^ 






«. 

\ 


) r^V- ' ■>>:, ' ^ ..V 


.’k 


z- <■ ’ 

f ■' ’.>,' ^ S, 


V ;*? 


'' ^ Y, ' ■■' 



* « 1 ^ 'e*MV 

i-f ■; I 



V. .■'. 


Vl 


V .- 


>:li' 


/ 

I 

’ « . 
■I' 


■ */ •■:.♦•’,/' • . itp"' 

■ Af.'V V,,.;^ , , : ^ ; . .i^i™ ' 

• <• * J*; ■•■ %rs*v -'J'fr* 

o -•". K: y ^ '♦ ,vvv . 

r". . ' • ' .' f. f:r-. 


.• ♦• -k 


/w. 



‘.-•j Vy y > 


/ ► 
% i 




'J 


i'.» 


U» 


.f: 




I* V 





• -f-v 

i .^•. /, ‘V vv*r^ 

‘-•^ * r ' ‘M 


,;\r 




»r 


• ' 


»’t 


• > 


r..'V 


* ; ■ ' V.'; Aji . ‘ 


* * 

■\ . 


» 

i ■ 


*♦ . ; w 


r • 


• ‘ V 


4 '' 


. •», 
k 


« ' *»* ' '* lir • 

r. '*.: ■■■ ■ ' 


> » 


^ « 




«•' 


, ‘ ... ^ 



. '• - "'’'• V ' ■ •> *. ', Jfe>, ■•'* 

• '*. 'I i'',* ’'\ ‘kVA 

-v.; V ■> 


‘ ' f 

4- i ■.;- ' ' 'yrie") 

■■ .''A /' . 


I ’ 






■V).- 


< .'4 ' 


• < 





« 


9 > 



I 


/ • 

S 




< 




I 


» 


I 


% 






F'l* 


*4 








>.r :'-?f- ' 'S:^' 


•k' '-A •' 


\ X • 




Tt •^^■ri' 




C' 

V. 


* 



* 


V 


;? 





/ 



• 4 






y.' 


I 


r 


T^V 


1 

> 


t'H' 


% 



^ 


*s 

r 


N 



« 







C 











.1 





* 




% 


f 



% 


. ^'r 


z 



f 

r-' f 


’ ^ » 


• ■'■•wvV'v-ijy.-j- 





« 

4 

■ • 



• * 


f 



V%’ ^ 

7 
9 


> ’ , 

fvV..-. " ’ r ' 











\ 


9 


« 

• ' 


s. 




i 


# 


V 





: .■• 




« » 


9 



(' 
i • 



* 


ru. 



I 


I 


•’ . 




i 


i 







